Microplastic as a Multiple Stressor

The presence of microplastics (MPs) throughout the world causes a serious threat to the functionality and vigor of the ecosystem, which is present in almost all habitats, such as in aquatic, atmospheric and terrestrial habitats, and is also found in human consumables. Recently it has been found that MPs have entered the human body through the food chain from terrestrial agriculture. Migration and retention of MPs in the soil are controlled by the interaction between MPs and various environmental factors. There is an immense need in real-world environments to understand the migration properties and key mechanisms of MPs. Various organisms such as plants, animals, different microorganisms present in the soil, etc. are impacted by the presence of toxic MPs in the environment. Therefore, to ensure food safety and sustainable agriculture, MPs should be treated as a future threat and attention should be given to understand the mechanisms of transport and ecotoxicological effects of contaminants released from MPs. The aim of the present chapter is to emphasize the impact of MPs on various organisms present in the ecosystem and their interaction with other contaminants.

Keywords: Antioxidative enzymes, Contaminants, Ecosystem, Embryonic development, Fecundity, Food chain, Hazard, Human health, Microbes, Mortality, Microplastics, Multiple stressors, Nanoplastics, Non-degradation, Oxidative stress, Plant growth, Reactive oxygen species, Seed germination, Stress responsive genes, Toxicity.