Looking at the Bigger Picture—Considering the Hurdles in the Struggle against Nanoplastic Pollution

Abstract

Plastics are considered one of the most serious environmental global concerns as they are ubiquitous and contribute to the build-up of pollution. In August 2020, the BBC reported that scientists found 12–21 million tonnes of tiny plastic fragments floating in the Atlantic Ocean. After release into the environment, plastics from consumer items, such as cosmetics and biomedical products, are subject to degradation and break down into microplastics (<5 mm in diameter) and eventually into nanoplastics (<100 nm in at least one dimension). Given their global abundance and environmental persistence, exposure of humans and animals to these micro- and nano- plastics is unavoidable. “We urgently need to know more about the health impact of microplastics because they are everywhere”, says Dr Maria Neira, Director at the World Health Organization. Nanoplastics are also an emerging environmental concern as little is known about their generation, degradation, transformation, ageing, and transportation. Owing to their small size, nanoplastics can be trapped by filter-feeding organisms and can enter the food chain at an early stage. Therefore, there is a gap in the knowledge that vitally needs to be addressed. This minireview considers how nanoplastic research can be made more quantifiable through traceable and trackable plastic particles and more environmentally realistic by considering the changes over time. It considers how nanoplastic research can use industrially realistic samples and be more impactful by incorporating the ecological impact.