Microplastics in marine food webs
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| Keywords |
Biological phenomena > Accumulation > Bioaccumulation
Food webs
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| Author keywords |
Microplastics; Nanoplastics; Trophic transfer; Biomagnification; Translocation |
| Authors | | Top |
- Pitt, J.A.
- Aluru, N.
- Hahn, M.E.
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| Abstract |
The identification of microplastics (MP; 1 μm to 5 mm) and the inferred presence of nanoplastics (NP; <1 μm) in a wide variety of marine animals, including many seafood species, has raised important questions about the presence, movement, and impacts of these particles in marine food webs. Understanding microplastic dynamics in marine food webs requires elucidation of the processes involved, including bioaccumulation, trophic transfer, and biomagnification. In the context of microplastics and nanoplastics, however, these concepts are often misunderstood. This chapter provides a critical review of the literature on the behavior of plastic particles in marine food webs. There is clear evidence of trophic transfer, equivocal evidence for bioaccumulation, and no evidence for biomagnification. There are, however, several knowledge gaps that limit the ability to draw firm conclusions at this time. |
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