Effects of microplastics pollution on plankton: A review.

ABSTRACT

Microplastics, a new class of environmental pollutants, accumulates in the environment at an uncontrollable rate, which threatens aquatic organisms. Plankton are the basis of food webs and play a significant role in the material circulation and energy flow of aquatic ecosystems. Plankton are sensitive to various environmental pollutants. It is necessary to investigate the impacts of microplastics on plankton. Here, we analzyed the sources and characteristics of microplastics, and the current state of microplastic pollution in aquatic ecosystem. The direct and indirect harmful effects of microplastics on aquatic organisms were elaborated. Then, we focused on the potential consequences of microplastics on phytoplankton and zooplankton species from different scales, ranging from individual, population, to community level. With respect to plankton organisms, few studies were carried out on genomics and proteomics from the microcosmic perspective, and on popu-lation and community responses from the macroscopic aspect. This review would provide references for further studies.