Department of Biological & Environmental Sciences, Walter Sisulu University, Mthatha 5117, South Africa.
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023 Aug 28;20(17):6667. doi: 10.3390/ijerph20176667.
Plastics, due to their varied properties, find use in different sectors such as agriculture, packaging, pharmaceuticals, textiles, and construction, to mention a few. Excessive use of plastics results in a lot of plastic waste buildup. Poorly managed plastic waste (as shown by heaps of plastic waste on dumpsites, in free spaces, along roads, and in marine systems) and the plastic in landfills, are just a fraction of the plastic waste in the environment. A complete picture should include the micro and nano-plastics (MNPs) in the hydrosphere, biosphere, lithosphere, and atmosphere, as the current extreme weather conditions (which are effects of climate change), wear and tear, and other factors promote MNP formation. MNPs pose a threat to the environment more than their pristine counterparts. This review highlights the entry and occurrence of primary and secondary MNPs in the soil, water and air, together with their aging. Furthermore, the uptake and internalization, by plants, animals, and humans are discussed, together with their toxicity effects. Finally, the future perspective and conclusion are given. The material utilized in this work was acquired from published articles and the internet using keywords such as plastic waste, degradation, microplastic, aging, internalization, and toxicity.
由于其多样化的特性，塑料在农业、包装、制药、纺织和建筑等多个领域得到了应用。大量使用塑料会导致大量塑料废物堆积。管理不善的塑料废物（如垃圾填埋场、空地、道路沿线和海洋系统中的塑料废物堆）和垃圾填埋场中的塑料只是环境中塑料废物的一小部分。完整的情况还应该包括水圈、生物圈、岩石圈和大气圈中的微塑料和纳米塑料（MNPs），因为目前的极端天气条件（这是气候变化的影响）、磨损和其他因素会促进 MNPs 的形成。MNPs 对环境的威胁比原始塑料更大。这篇综述强调了原生和次生 MNPs 在土壤、水和空气中的进入和出现，以及它们的老化。此外，还讨论了植物、动物和人类对它们的吸收和内化，以及它们的毒性作用。最后给出了未来展望和结论。这项工作中使用的材料是通过使用关键词（如塑料废物、降解、微塑料、老化、内化和毒性）从已发表的文章和互联网上获取的。
