Ecotoxicological Effects of Microplastics in Marine Zooplankton

Abstract

Marine microplastics are recognized as an emerging pollutant accumulating in marine environment, throughout the water column and on the seabed [1]. Over 300 million tons of plastic are produced globally each year [2], and almost 10% of the annual production ends up into the oceans, where degradation of plastic objects can take several hundred years. Microplastics (MP) are particles with sizes below 5 mm that can derive from the breakdown of larger debris or can enter the environment as microscopic fragments. Because of their small size, MPs are of concern especially because they can be ingested by a variety of marine organisms, and possibly be transferred along the food web [3].