• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.1-12
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• 2019

Plastics have become essential materials in human life for several decades. Meanwhile, the inadvertent spread of plastic debris from the use of many plastic products has raised global environmental concerns. The risk of microplastics in subsurface environment has received little attention because soil is considered to confine microplastics within the matrix. However, the concentration of microplastics in soil unavoidably increased as a result of an increase in plastic production and use. Based on lab experiments, several researches claimed that microplastics possibly penentrate soil layers. Recently, a few researches reported the occurrence of microplastics in groundwater. This study reviewed the recent reports of microplastic occurrences in soil and groundwater, and the modeling studies for simulating transport of microplastics. Additionally, the difficulties and limits in microplastics researches in soil and groundwater are discussed. Finally, several perspectives on microplastic studies in subsurface environment are suggested.

• Food Science and Industry
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• v.54 no.1
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• pp.2-10
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• 2021

Microplastics with a size of less than 5 mm have emerged as an important environmental and food safety issue, as they have been detected not only in marine but also in terrestrial ecosystem and drinking water. Although many studies have been conducted on the exposure of microplastics and the effects on human health, the lack of standardized experimental methods for microplastics has been reviewed as a major problem. In order to overcome this, European countries such as the Netherlands and Germany are conducting a project to develop detection methods for microplastics as well as to establish the risk assessment methodologies for microplastics. Being the microplastics suggested to have a substantially potential risk on human health, reliable risk assessments should be conducted considering the various sources of microplastics, chemical pollutants and biological factors. In addition, international standards and regulations should be applied.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.46 no.5
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• pp.610-626
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• 2020

Objectives: This study aims to investigate the concept of microplastics and their occurrence, transport, biological effects, and management methods in the ocean. Methods: I reviewed articles on microplastics in the ocean by using the Google Scholar database. Results: Plastic litter has been reported as a ubiquitous pollutant in the ocean due to the extensive consumption of plastics and the mismanagement of plastic wastes. Microplastics are generally defined as synthetic polymer particles <5 mm in size. Microplastics generated from the degradation of plastic litter are currently a serious global concern since they spread easily all over the ocean, transfer to different tissues inside contaminated animals, and even across different trophic levels inside the food web. An additional concern is the ability of microplastics to adsorb organic and inorganic pollutants and subsequently release them into the ocean. Thus, alternatives to reduce microplastics in the ocean are discussed. Conclusions: This paper summarizes the concept of microplastics and their behavior in the ocean and suggests management methods for microplastics in support of a cleaner ocean.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.135-149
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• 2017

Microplastics are fractions of plastics less than 5 mm in size and can be divided into artificially manufactured primary microplastics and physically or chemically decomposed secondary microplastics. In this study, the emission source of microplastics made by the human activities is defined as the primary source of microplastics. And the primary sources of microplastics were summarized by using the literature and the emission potential of each source was estimated. As a result, this study showed that 63,000 to 216,000 ton/year of microplastics were discharged into the environment. Among primary sources, transport, tyre dust, and laundry were the major primary sources.

• Advances in environmental research
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.275-284
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• 2020

We provide the first study on the occurrence of microplastics in Dal lake, Kashmir, India. Microplastics act as catastrophe that trigger many environmental problems. The key origins of microplastics are larger plastics, which split into smaller plastics after UV light disintegration. There is relatively little work carried out on the existence of microplastics. The present work has been undertaken on the occurrence of microplastics at four pre-selected sites (surface water) in Dal lake, Kashmir. The samples were taken to the laboratory to dissolve organic matter by using H2O2 (6%). To speed up the organic digestion; the treated mixture was heated on a hot plate at 70℃. The mixture was then subjected to density separation. The supernatant obtained was observed under the microscope (10X) and measurements were taken. At site-I, the microplastics ranged from 2-3 mm, site-II 5-6 mm, site-III 3-4 mm, site-IV 4-5 mm in thickness, indicating the presence of microplastics in the lake. The presence of microplastics indicated that the lake has undergone an anthropogenic change over a period of time. Our research highlights the value of enhancing the quality of the drainage system and sewage disposal. This work can be helpful to recognize successful microplastic control management techniques and possible threats associated with the Dal lake. So far, no such data on the presence of microplastics in Kashmir lakes is available.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.47 no.5
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• pp.446-453
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• 2021

Background: Plastic particles less than 5 mm in diameter (microplastics) are well-known for causing various toxicities such as lung inflammation, oxidative stress, genotoxicity, and reproductive toxicity. As microplastics become smaller, they can move across cell membranes, the placenta, and the blood-brain barrier. Objectives: We evaluated the toxicities of polyethylene microplastics (PE-PMs) in dams and neonates through intragastric intubation of pregnant ICR mice. Methods: Low concentrations (0.01 mg/mouse/day) and high concentrations (0.1 mg/mouse/day) of polyethylene microplastics were administered from the ninth day of pregnancy to postnatal day seven. The control group was administered with distilled water. On the day of sacrifice, the weight of dams and neonates and the organ weight of neonates was measured. Further, acetylcholinesterase levels and glutathione peroxidase levels were evaluated by using a blood sample obtained on the sacrifice day. Results: No significant difference in the number of neonates was found, but the body weight gain of dams was seen to be lower in the low-dose group. On the other hand, we observed a consecutively declining trend in the weight gain and organ weight of neonates among the high-, control, and low-dose groups. Meanwhile, the serum acetylcholinesterase and glutathione peroxidase level were higher in the low-dose group compared to the control group. Further, the dose-dependent accumulation of microplastics in the organs of neonates revealed the transport of plastic particles from dams to their offspring. Conclusions: Although the exact mechanism of toxicity caused by microplastics could not be confirmed, it was validated that exposure to microplastics during pregnancy and lactation causes its migration between generations and accumulation throughout the body. Hence, it is necessary to evaluate the systemic toxicity of microplastics and assessment of co-morbidities such as second-generation toxicity, neurotoxicity, and depression following long-term exposure.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.36-46
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• 2024

Microplastics in water resources have been recognized as a serious problem. The discharge of microplastics from wastewater treatment plants is considered a major contributor to environmental pollution in water resources. However, a reliable analytical method for quantifying microplastics in wastewater treatment plants has not yet been established. This study proposes a reliable, quick, and easy analytical method for quantifying microplastics. For the removal of organic particles, preprocessing steps were applied including oxidation, sonication, washing, and sieving. Nile Red staining was used to visualize microplastics, and quantitative analysis was conducted using fluorescent imaging. The stained microplastics were ultimately quantified through image analysis software. Among the preprocessing steps, sonication and washing stages were particularly effective in efficiently removing interfering substances from wastewater, enhancing the accuracy of the microplastic analysis. Additionally, various solvents (methanol, acetone, and N-hexane) for the Nile Red staining solution were tested. When N-hexane was applied as the solvent, the quantity of stained microplastics was lower compared to methanol and acetone. This suggests that N-hexane has a greater potential of reducing false staining and counting of non-plastic particles. In summary, this research demonstrates a robust method for quantifying microplastics in wastewater treatment plants by employing effective preprocessing steps and optimizing the staining process with Nile Red and N-hexane.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.276-281
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• 2022

BACKGROUND: Plastics that are used in our daily lives largely end up in the environment. In agricultural environments, plastic wastes and microplastics can be found due to the uses and improper management of plastic products (e.g., vinyl greenhouses and mulching vinyl). Microplastics can also interact with contaminants in the agricultural environment. Therefore, this study was set to investigate the sorption characteristics of tetracycline, one of widely used antibiotics, on microplastics. METHODS AND RESULTS: The sorption tests were carried out with the tetracycline solutions (0-30 mg L^-1) and microplastic films prepared from low density polyethylene (LDPE) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC). The residual tetracycline concentrations were analyzed and fitted to the Freundlich and Langmuir isotherm models. The tetracycline sorption patterns on LDPE and PVC films were described better with the Freundlich isotherm model than the Langmuir isotherm model. The isotherm model parameters suggested that the maximum sorption amount of tetracyline was greater for PVC, while the sorption affinity was greater for LDPE. CONCLUSION(S): Different types of microplastics can have different sorption characteristics of tetracycline. Therefore, there is a need for continuous research on the interaction of various types and shapes of microplastics and contaminants in the environment.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.216-226
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• 2023

Since nylon 66, a polyamide resin, has been developed and applied to toothbrush bristles, plastic consumption has increased rapidly every year, along with the increase in the amount of plastic discarded. Among the various forms of plastic debris produced by the decomposition of plastics, microplastics with a size of less than 5 mm are widely distributed in the environment, which poses a threat not only to the environment but also to animals and humans. The pathway through which microplastics enter the human body is known as ingestion by water and food, inhalation from air, and skin contact. Microplastics introduced into the human body affect human health. Recently, food-related studies have begun to be reported among microplastics-related studies, and analyses of the presence of microplastics in processed foods, such as canned foods, dried seaweed, beverages, beer, milk, sugar, and honey, are underway. Here, we present trends in the production and consumption of plastics, the generation of microplastics, the route of human inflow and human risk, and the microplastics present in processed foods, which are limited but have recently been reported. Thus far, studies on microplastics and risk assessment in processed foods have been insufficient, but microplastics are gradually being recognized as a factor that affects the environment and food. Future studies are expected to have implications for regulations regarding microplastics present in processed foods.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.442-451
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• 2021

Microplastics are fragments of any type of plastic with a size less than 5 mm. Ocean pollution by microplastics is now a worldwide concern in relation to marine ecosystems and human health. The widespread contamination by microplastics means that they can be ingested by and accumulated in diverse species of wildlife, such as fish, mussels, oysters, clams, and scallops. Once ingested, the microplastics can be observed in the intestines, liver, and kidney, and even in the brain. Seafood is one of the major sources of protein intake in humans; therefore, seafood consumption could be pathway for human microplastics exposure. Accumulating evidence indicates that repeated oral exposure to microplastics induces pathologic and functional changes in the reproductive, cardiac, gastrointestinal, endocrine, and even nervous systems of rodents. Maternal exposure to microplastics during gestation and lactation alters metabolic homeostasis in the offspring. Given that seafood provides more than 20% of the total protein intake by over 310 million people worldwide, a reasonable assumption is that microplastics could be substantially accumulated in the human body and impair physiological function. In this review, we have summarized the current status of microplastics contamination in the ocean, their accumulation and toxicities in marine animals and rodents, their exposure to humans, and their potential impacts on human health.