What are the impacts of plastic pollution on marine and freshwater ecosystems?
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Plastic pollution poses significant threats to both marine and freshwater ecosystems. In marine environments, microplastics are often mistaken as food by marine organisms, leading to ingestion of chemical toxins, damage to digestive organs, choking, and reduced growth and reproductive output . Similarly, in freshwater ecosystems, microplastics can be consumed by fish, accumulate, and enter the food chain, causing health problems and altering gene expression related to brain development and metabolic processes . Plastic pollution affects aquatic biodiversity, causing toxic effects, reduced food intake, delayed growth, oxidative damage, abnormal behavior, and genetic damage in fishes at molecular levels . The presence of microplastics in both marine and freshwater systems highlights the urgent need for mitigation measures to safeguard aquatic life and human health.
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| Papers (5) | Insight |
|---|---|
| Plastic pollution negatively impacts marine ecosystems by altering carbon and nitrogen cycles, habitats, and aquatic life. Solutions include reducing polymer use and implementing global waste management strategies. | |
01 Jan 2023 | Microplastics in aquatic ecosystems lead to oxidative stress, immune system alterations, hormonal disruption, and reproductive damage in aquatic inhabitants, affecting ecosystem health and biodiversity. |
| Plastic pollution, specifically microplastics, impacts aquatic biodiversity by causing toxic effects, reduced food intake, delayed growth, and genetic damage in marine species, affecting ecosystems in both marine and freshwater environments. | |
03 Jan 2023 | Microplastic pollution poses risks to marine ecosystems by harming marine organisms through ingestion, chemical transfer, choking, and reduced growth, impacting both aquatic life and human health. |
| Plastic pollution impacts both marine and freshwater ecosystems by introducing microplastics that can be consumed by fish, accumulate in their bodies, and potentially enter the food chain, posing health risks. |
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