Nano-plastics in the aquatic environment.
Author
Summary, in English
The amount of plastics released to the environment in modern days has increased substantially since the development of modern plastics in the early 1900s. As a result, concerns have been raised by the public about the impact of plastics on nature and on, specifically, aquatic wildlife. Lately, much attention has been paid to macro- and micro-sized plastics and their impact on aquatic organisms. However, micro-sized plastics degrade subsequently into nano-sizes whereas nano-sized particles may be released directly into nature. Such particles have a different impact on aquatic organisms than larger pieces of plastic due to their small size, high surface curvature, and large surface area. This review describes the possible sources of nano-sized plastic, its distribution and behavior in nature, the impact of nano-sized plastic on the well-being of aquatic organisms, and the difference of impact between nano- and micro-sized particles. We also identify research areas which urgently need more attention and suggest experimental methods to obtain useful data.
Department/s
Publishing year
2015
Language
English
Pages
1712-1721
Publication/Series
Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts
Volume
17
Issue
10
Document type
Journal article review
Publisher
Royal Society of Chemistry
Topic
- Environmental Sciences
Status
Published
Research group
- Aquatic Ecology
ISBN/ISSN/Other
- ISSN: 2050-7895