Microplastic pollution and its impacts on marine life and human health: a literature review

Abstract

Microplastics are fragments up to 5mm in size that are polluting the oceans due to anthropic action, impacting the lives of marines and humans. The aim of this article is to inform how microplastics are generated and what are the impacts they cause to organisms. A review was carried out through works available in the databases available on the Internet. Microplastics cause negative physical effects, preventing the absorption of nutrients, due to the accumulation of these particles in the organs of the digestive system of marine organisms. In humans, particles smaller than 20μm are likely to penetrate the organs. Even smaller particles are able to move through cell membranes, blood brain barriers and placenta. Therefore, the awareness of the population through environmental education is still the main alternative for habits to be modified, and thus improve the quality of survival of planet Earth.