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Microplastics in the environment: their sources, distribution, and dangerous status

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Abstract

The aim of this study is to assess the importance of environmental pollution caused by microplastics and their high risks for the organisms living in water and soil ecosystems. Microplastics are one of the emerging contaminants which have been widely spread in soil and aquatic environments. In the last few years, many studies have been focused on their distribution and assessment of their adverse risk to the organisms living in both ecosystems. New methods for the identification of these small particles are also distinguished; however, these techniques are not adequate and sufficient for detection, toxicity, and impacts of their effects on biota. The evidence of large burden of microplastics in aquatic ecosystems has substantially increased. But we are at the beginning of understanding of the potential risk of these materials in soil, where it is still entirely unclear what the size of this problem is. Up to now, little information is present about the effects of these particles on soil organisms. Better understanding to the occurrence, spread, and negative influence of these particles in the ecosystems is needed.

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Funding

The work was supported by the Ministry of Education, Youth, and Sports of the Czech Republic-MEYS (projects No. LM2015075, EF16_013/0001782, and 8120001-EIG CONCERT JAPAN). This work has also been supported by Charles University (UNCE, Center of Excellence, program No. 204069; Cooperation Environmental and Sustainability Research, project No. 270022).

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  1. Institute for Environmental Studies, Charles University in Prague, Benátská 2, Prague, 12801, Czech Republic

    Masoud M. Ardestani

  2. Institute of Soil Biology and SoWa Research Infrastructure, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, Na Sádkách 7, České Budějovice, 37005, Czech Republic

    Masoud M. Ardestani

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Ardestani, M.M. Microplastics in the environment: their sources, distribution, and dangerous status. Water Air Soil Pollut 233, 161 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-022-05630-9

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