Multi-dimensional View of Microplastic Toxicity: Environmental and Health impacts

MPs are pervasive environmental pollutants prevailing in aquatic, terrestrial environment and the surrounding atmosphere. MPs are of global concern due to their discharge into the environment and adverse effect on entire biota. Due to their abundance, MPs pose a risk to organisms and environmental health. Therefore, an alleviation of MP pollution is a problem to be approached via one health perspective. The review compiles recent literature on health risks that MPs pose along with rising ecotoxicological impacts particularly atmospheric, aquatic and terrestrial. Additionally, an attempt is made to connect the rising incidence of non-communicable diseases with human consumption MPs. Adverse effects ranging from biogeochemical cycling to aquatic biota to terrestrial impacts are viewed through a one health lens and solutions proposed. The routes of MP into the food chain, toxicity through bioaccumulation or trophic transfer are also reviewed. The chronology of MP accumulation to recent literature on in vitro cell culture and investigations using model organism platforms have been teased to investigate the adverse impact of MPs on different organ systems of humans leading to acute and/or chronic toxicity. Another global pandemic due to MP distress appears underway. A complex issue as this can be tackled by scientists, public health experts, environmentalists and common men working in concert.