Promising indicators for monitoring microplastic pollution

Abstract

Microplastic pollution is a global crisis. This requires a better understanding of microplastic abundance, distribution, and accumulation to prevent potential risks in the future. However, it is very difficult to accurately identify all polymers of microplastics due to the limits of present detection technologies, which might result in overestimation and underestimation of microplastic pollution. Moreover, it also doesn't meet the growing demand for regular monitoring. Herein, we propose an alternative approach to regularly monitoring microplastics in all environmental mediums. The results could meet the urgent need for understanding the spatiotemporal pattern of microplastic pollution. Environmental policy-makers can use it to monitor microplastic pollutants and then rapidly evaluate the environmental level of microplastic pollution.

Keywords: Abundance; Distribution; Microplastic; Monitoring; meta-analysis.