Microplastics as Contaminants in Water Bodies and Their Threat to the Aquatic Animals: A Mini-Review

Mingshi Chen; Yuhua Yue; Xiaoxue Bao; Hui Yu; Yuansheng Tan; Binbin Tong; Suksan Kumkhong; Yingying Yu

doi:10.3390/ani12202864

Microplastics as Contaminants in Water Bodies and Their Threat to the Aquatic Animals: A Mini-Review

Animals (Basel). 2022 Oct 20;12(20):2864. doi: 10.3390/ani12202864.

Authors

Mingshi Chen¹, Yuhua Yue¹, Xiaoxue Bao¹, Hui Yu¹, Yuansheng Tan¹, Binbin Tong², Suksan Kumkhong³, Yingying Yu¹

Affiliations

¹ Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Molecular Design and Precise Breeding, School of Life Science and Engineering, Foshan University, Foshan 528225, China.
² Sinopharm Group Dezhong (Foshan) Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Foshan 528225, China.
³ Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Science and Technology, Muban Chombueng Rajabhat University, 46 Moo 3, Chombueng, Ratchaburi 70150, Thailand.

Abstract

Microplastics (MPs), which are particles with a diameter of less than 5 mm, have been extensively studied due to their serious global pollution. Typically, MPs in water originate from terrestrial input. A number of studies have reported the presence of MPs as a stressor in water environments worldwide, and their potential threat to the aquatic animals, affecting the growth, oxidative stress responses, body composition, histopathology, intestinal flora, and immune and reproduction systems. During the plastic degradation process, a large variety of toxic substances are released. MPs have been proposed to be the carriers of toxic chemicals and harmful microorganisms. A study of the literature on MP pollution and stress on the aquatic animals associated with MPs was carried out.

Keywords: aquatic animals; microplastics; stress; toxicity; water environment.

Publication types

Review

Grants and funding

This research was funded by The Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Molecular Design and Precise Breeding, grant number 2019B030301010 and was funded by H.Y. The Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation, grant number 2019A1515110068 and was funded by Y.Y. (Yingying Yu). Key-Area Research and Development Program of Guangdong Province, grant number 2019B110209005 and was funded by H.Y.