Zeitschrift für Meeresbiologie und Ozeanographie

Marine Pollution from Plastics and Microplastics

Jil Sheth and Dhvanil Shah

The review discusses the ways in which marine pollution proliferates due to plastics and microplastics and provides an overview of the possible influences of the plastics in water body along with its detrimental effects. Erosion and degradation of plastics on the beaches end up in their surface embrittlement in addition to microcracking, it yields micro-particles which are then carried by carriers into the water-body by the tidal waves or winds. Opposing the inorganic fine particles existing in ocean water-body, microplastics tend to accumulate into the persistent organic pollutants (POPs) by breakdown and detachment. The POPs are distributed amongst many types of plastics that pollute the environment. Most of the pollutants under POPs polluting water show it is consequent due to micro-plastics and other plastic mediums. Also, when these micro-particles containing a tremendous amount of POPs are ingested by marine biota and species, it poses a remarkable influence on them. However, Bioavailability and how much potential transfers of POPs can occur in distinct levels of trophic is still unknown while the harm caused by such POPs in species needs to be studied and quantified with help of proper scientific modelling techniques. As the plastic pollution in oceans is rising at an alarming rate it is necessary to understand probable impacts of plastics and microplastics in oceans and other water bodies.