Zooplankton and Plastic Additives—Insights into the Chemical Pollution of the Low-Trophic Level of the Mediterranean Marine Food Web

Abstract

Marine litter such as microplastics pose a variety of problems once they reach the environment via improper waste disposal or spills, among others. While microplastics are often ingested by marine organisms, marine life is not only threatened by the physical damage plastic items can cause but also by the possible chemical pollution resulting from the leaching of plastic additives or other adsorbed chemicals on the plastics surface during long-range transport. Plastic additives include plasticizers, flame retardants and colour pigments. The demonstrated toxicity of some of these molecules has led to national and international legislations limiting or banning their use. However, a wide variety of substances are still found in plastic products and little is known about their impact on the marine and terrestrial environment.