Post-covid-19 pandemic awareness on the use of micro- and nano plastic and efforts into their degradation - a mini review

Abstract

Micro- and nano plastic pollution poses a global threat and causes a future problem, and needs greater global attention. Its pollution is exacerbated recently by the excessive use of plastic polymers to prevent and handle the COVID-19 pandemic at a global scale. This review covered the major concerns about the characteristics, effect, and bioremediation of micro-and nano plastics. Many aquatic organisms easily ingest micro- and nano plastic at different trophic levels. This ingestion caused negative health impacts to all living organisms. Microplastic directly affects living organisms like mechanical injury, false satiation, declined growth, promoted immune response, and energy loss. Other debilitating effects include disrupted enzyme activity and production, decreased fecundity, oxidative stress, and mortality. Nano plastic could enter the circulatory system and caused negative effects on the cellular and molecular levels. Bioremediation of microplastic by selected higher and lower eukaryotes, bacteria, fun-gus, and algae on several polymers was previously reported. However, not much literature is available on nano plastic biodegradation. Therefore, the current review will focus on the characteristics, effect, and bioremediation effort of micro- and nano plastic.