Microplastics: An introduction to environmental transport processes

Alice Horton, Simon Dixon

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

563 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Microplastic pollution is widespread across the globe, pervading land, water, and air. These environments are commonly considered independently, however, in reality these are closely linked. This review gives an overview of the background knowledge surrounding sources, fate and transport of microplastics within the environment. We introduce a new “Plastic Cycle” concept in order to better under¬stand the processes influencing flux and retention of microplastics between and across the wide range of environmental matrices. As microplastics are a pervasive, persistent and potentially harmful pollutant, an understanding of these processes will allow for assessment of exposure to better determine the likely long-term eco¬logical and human health implications of microplastic pollution.

Original languageEnglish
Article numbere1268
Number of pages10
JournalWiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Water
Volume5
Issue number2
Early online date28 Dec 2017
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Mar 2018

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
A.A.H. would like to thank Elma Lahive for her input during the preparation of this manuscript. S.J.D. would like to thank Iseult Lynch and John Lewin for their stimulating discussions which helped form some of the ideas presented in this manuscript, and to Nick Kettridge for supporting the writing process. This work was funded by the UK Natural Environment Research Council through National Capability funding of the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology Pollution and Environmental Risk Program.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2018, John Wiley and Sons Inc. All rights reserved.

Keywords

  • plastic pollution
  • plastic cycle
  • sediment
  • soil
  • freshwater
  • fate

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Oceanography
  • Ecology
  • Aquatic Science
  • Water Science and Technology
  • Ocean Engineering
  • Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Microplastics: An introduction to environmental transport processes'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this