Qualitative and Quantitative Screening of Organic Pollutants Associated on Microplastics from Ofanto River (South Italy)

Abstract

A key concern of microplastic pollution is whether they represent a risk to ecosystems and human health. However, there is a lot of uncertainty associated with this issue. To evaluate the risk of microplastics to aquatic environments, data on the exposure and effect levels of microplastics are required. The adverse effects on aquatic organisms exposed to microplastics can be separated into two categories: physical effects and chemical effects. The former is related to the particle size, shape, and concentration of microplastics, and the latter is related to hazardous chemicals associated with microplastics. Although data on microplastic exposure levels in marine environments and organisms have rapidly increased in recent decades, limited information is available on chemicals associated with microplastics.