Departamento de Procesos Químicos, Facultad de Ciencias Matemáticas, Físicas y Químicas, Universidad Técnica de Manabí, Portoviejo, Ecuador; Laboratorio de Análisis Químicos y Biotecnológicos, Instituto de Investigación, Universidad Técnica de Manabí, S/N, Avenida Urbina y Che Guevara, Portoviejo 130104, Ecuador.
Departamento de Construcciones Civiles, Facultad de Ciencias Matemáticas, Físicas y Químicas, Universidad Técnica de Manabí, Portoviejo, Ecuador.
Sci Total Environ. 2024 Jan 15;908:168244. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.168244. Epub 2023 Nov 3.
The ubiquitous and persistent presence of microplastics (MPs) in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems has raised global concerns due to their detrimental effects on human health and the natural environment. These minuscule plastic fragments not only threaten biodiversity but also serve as vectors for contaminants, absorbing organic and inorganic pollutants, thereby causing a range of health and environmental issues. This review provides an overview of microplastics and their effects. This work highlights available analytical techniques for detecting and characterizing microplastics in different environmental matrices, assessing their advantages and limitations. Additionally, this review explores innovative remediation approaches, such as microbial degradation and other advanced methods, offering promising prospects for combatting microplastic accumulation in contaminated environments. The focus on environmentally-friendly technologies, such as the use of microorganisms and enzymes for microplastic degradation, underscores the importance of sustainable solutions in plastic pollution management. In conclusion, this article not only deepens our understanding of the microplastic issue and its impact but also advocates for the urgent need to develop and implement effective strategies to mitigate this critical environmental challenge. In this context, the crucial role of advanced technologies, like quantitative Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectroscopy (qNMR), as promising tools for rapid and efficient microplastic detection, is emphasized. Furthermore, the potential of the enzyme PETase (polyethylene terephthalate esterase) in microplastic degradation is examined, aiming to address the growing plastic pollution, particularly in saline environments like oceanic ecosystems. These innovations offer hope for effectively addressing microplastic accumulation in contaminated environments and minimizing its adverse impacts.
微塑料（MPs）在水生和陆地生态系统中普遍存在且持久，因其对人类健康和自然环境的有害影响而引起全球关注。这些微小的塑料碎片不仅威胁生物多样性，还作为污染物的载体，吸收有机和无机污染物，从而引发一系列健康和环境问题。本综述概述了微塑料及其影响。本工作重点介绍了可用于检测和表征不同环境基质中微塑料的现有分析技术，评估了它们的优缺点。此外，本综述探讨了创新的修复方法，如微生物降解和其他先进方法，为解决污染环境中微塑料积累问题提供了有前景的方案。关注环境友好型技术，如利用微生物和酶进行微塑料降解，强调了在塑料污染管理中可持续解决方案的重要性。总之，本文不仅加深了我们对微塑料问题及其影响的理解，还倡导迫切需要制定和实施有效的策略来减轻这一关键的环境挑战。在这方面，强调了先进技术（如定量核磁共振光谱（qNMR））作为快速高效检测微塑料的有前途工具的关键作用。此外，还研究了酶 PETase（聚对苯二甲酸乙二醇酯酶）在微塑料降解中的潜力，旨在解决日益严重的塑料污染问题，特别是在海洋生态系统等盐环境中。这些创新为有效解决污染环境中的微塑料积累问题并最大程度减少其不利影响提供了希望。
