This document summarizes research on microplastics in the aquatic environment and their impacts. It defines microplastics as plastic particles less than 5mm in size that originate from both commercial products and breakdown of larger plastics. Microplastics are persistent pollutants that can be ingested by marine organisms and enter the human food chain. Common sources include textiles, wastewater treatment plants, and plastic products. Microplastics exposure poses health risks to organisms like oxidative stress, reduced feeding, and transporting chemical contaminants up the food chain. While global action is needed, individual choices around plastic use can help address this growing environmental problem.

1. MICROPLASTIC IN THE AQUATIC
ENVIRONMENT AND IT’S IMPACTS
ARCHANA A NAIR
BFSc(NS)

2. INTRODUCTION
•Microplastic are tiny plastic particles that result
from both commercial product development and
the breakdown of larger plastics.
•The term “microplastic” was introduced in 2004 by
professor Richard Thomson.
•They are defined as plastics less than five
millimeters (0.2 inches) in diameter.
•They cause pollution by entering natural
ecosystem from a variety of sources, including
cosmetics, clothing, food packaging and industrial
processes.

3. • Microplastics are non- biodegradable and persistent in marine and freshwater.
• As a pollutant, microplastics can be harmful to the environment and animal health.
• There are certain human environmental perturbations so major that they are capable of destabilizing the Earths
normal function at a global scale.
• These so called planetary boundary threats include climate change, ozone depletion, ocean acidification etc.
emerging as a navel edition to this list is the vast quantity of discarded plastic waste that is accumulating in the
ecosystem.
• The most common microplastics also called synthetic polymer, found in marine environment are poly
ethylene(PE), polypropylene(PP), polystyrene(PS), polyamide(PA e.g.; nylon), polyester(PES), acrylic(AC)
• According to recent estimates, human exposure to microplastics can vary between 74000 and 121000 particles
per year.

4. TYPES OF
MICROPLASTIC
There are two types of microplastic : Primary microplastic and Secondary
microplastic
Primary microplastic
❑Plastic fragments or particles
that are already 5mm in size
or less before entering
environment.
❑It includes cosmetics,
microfiber from clothing and
other textiles, plastic pellets
etc.
Secondary microplastic
❑It arises from the degradation
of larger plastic products
through natural weathering
process after entering
environment.
❑It includes water and soda
bottles, fishing nets, plastic
bags etc.

5. SOURCES
๏ Sewage treatment plants
๏ Cosmetics industry
๏ Clothing
๏ Manufacturing
๏ Fishing industry
๏ Packaging and shipping
๏ Plastic water bottles

6. Source of microplastic
Panfeng Wu et al., 2019

8. ❑ 35% of all ocean microplastic come from textiles/clothing.
❑ Water and waste water treatment plants are one of the main source of releasing
microplastic into the marine environment.
❑ Industries that Manufacture plastic products can contribute to microplastic pollution
through the release of plastic particles and fragments during production, handling and
waste disposal.
❑ The source of plastics in the ocean include fragmentation of mega and macro plastic
items entering from rivers, runoff, tides winds and catastrophic events
❑ Since the emergence of COVID-19 pandemic there is an increase in production,
consumption and littering of Face mask, after degrading disposable face mask could
beak don in to smaller size particles emerging a new source of microplastic.
❑ Paints and coatings used on boats and ships can degrade and contribute to
microplastic pollution in aquatic ecosystem
❑ Common single used plastic products( paper coffee cups) that are lined with a thin
plastic film inside release trillions of microplastic Nano particles per liter in to water
during normal use.

11. CLASSIFICATION
OF
MICROPLASTIC
COLOUR
SHAPE
SIZE
POLYMER
Hidalgo Ruz et al., 2012

13. OBSERVATIONS AND
FACT

14. •Deep layer ocean sediment surveys in China (2020) show the presence of plastics in deposition layers far
older than the invention of plastics, leading to suspected underestimation of microplastics in surface
sample ocean surveys.
• A study published in March 2022 revealed that microplastics have been found in 80% of 22 anonymous
blood samples, meaning they can be transported around the human body.
• In December 2020, microplastic particles were found in the placentas of unborn babies for the first time.
• In June 2022, microplastic particles were found in breastmilk for the first time.
•According to a research conducted by the Medical University of Vienna, five grams of plastic particles
enter each person's gastrointestinal stream on average per week.
• A recent study found a kilo of sugar had 440 microplastics, a kilo of salt contained 110 microplastics, and
a litre of bottled water contained 90 microplastics.

16. • Highly detrimental to the organisms they come in contact
• Reduced feeding
• Poisoning
• Increasing mortality
• Transfer of contaminants along the food chain
WHY MICROPLASTIC ARE BAD?

20. • 88% of the ocean’s surface is contaminated with microplastic, a large number of marine species come in
contact with microplastics.
• Marine organisms ingest microplastics but egestion of fibers was not recorded, indicating that microplastics
may remain long-term, if not permanently, inside the animals once ingested.
• Effects are typically sub-lethal, such as reduced feeding and increased uptake of certain contaminants.
• Microfibres can also block the digestive tract.
• It induces hepatic stress in fish and the effect is more pronounced for the combination of microplastic and
associated contaminants.
• Pathway for hydrophobic organic contaminant uptake into fish.
EFFECTS ON MARINE BIOTA

21. • Microplastic has been found in 15 human biological components including blood, placenta,
breastmilk, spleen, liver, lung, hair, hand, skin, sputum, colon, saliva, feces, bronchoalveolar lavage
fluid.
• Microplastics have been found in meconium, infant feces, breastmilk and infant formula.
• The dominant microplastics in alls amples were polyamide and polyurethane.
• The water intake and usage of scrub cleanser or toothpaste may be important exposure sources of
microplastics for pregnant women.
• The breast feeding and usage of plastic toys may be of great concerns for microplastics exposure in
lactating infants.
• Microplastic accounted 58.46% of the total tumor tissue (chen et al., 2022)
EFFECTS ON HUMAN BEING

22. • Oxidative stress, cytotoxicity
• Altering Metabolism
• Immunity disruption
• Translocation to distant organs
• Neurotoxicity
• Reproductive toxicity
• Carcinogenicity

23. LABORATORY ANALYSIS

24. NEWSPAPER ARTICLE REGARADING MICROPASTICS IN COCHIN BACKWATERS

25. • Reduce use of single-use plastics
• Recycle properly
• Participate or organise a beach or river clean up
• Support plastic bans
• Avoid products containing microbes
• Spread the word
• Support organisations addressing plastic pollution
REMEDIES

26. Microplastic is a global environmental problem which has the power to threaten marine life as well as
freshwater organisms for decades and centuries, and the potential to poison the entire food chain
Though it needs global research, policy and technological change to decontaminate the environment
from microplastic pollution, however we can always take action to minimise the contribution
CONCLUSION

27. • Arthur, Courtney; Baker, Joel; Bamford, Holly (2009). "Proceedings of the International Research Workshop on
the Occurrence, Effects and Fate of Microplastic Marine Debris" (PDF). NOAA Technical Memorandum.
• Boucher, Julien; Friot, Damien (2017). Primary microplastics in the oceans: A global evaluation of sources.
• Leslie, Heather A.; van Velzena, Martin J.M.; Brandsmaa, Sicco H.; Vethaakab, A. Dick; Garcia-Vallejoc, Juan J.;
Lamoree, Maria H. (2022). "Discovery and quantification of plastic particle pollution in human blood”.
• Karbalaei, Samaneh; Hanachi, Parichehr; Walker, Tony R.; Cole, Matthew (2018). "Occurrence, sources, human
health impacts and mitigation of microplastic pollution
• Browne, Mark Anthony; Crump, Phillip; Niven, Stewart J.; Teuten, Emma; Tonkin, Andrew; Galloway, Tamara;
Thompson, Richard (2011). "Accumulation of Microplastic on Shorelines Worldwide: Sources and Sinks
• Prata, Joana Correia; da Costa, João P.; Lopes, Isabel; Duarte, Armando C.; Rocha-Santos, Teresa (February
2020). "Environmental exposure to microplastics: An overview on possible human health effects”
• Zangmeister, Christopher D.; Radney, James G.; Benkstein, Kurt D.; Kalanyan, Berc (3 May 2022). "Common
Single-Use Consumer Plastic Products Release Trillions of Sub-100 nm Nanoparticles per Liter into Water during
Normal Use
REFERENCE