Mesoplastics: A Review of Contamination Status, Analytical Methods, Pollution Sources, Potential Risks, and Future Perspectives of an Emerging Global Environmental Pollutant.

Abstract

Mesoplastics are emerging environmental pollutants that can pose a threat to the environment. Researching mesoplastics is crucial as they bridge the gap between macroplastics and microplastics by determining their role in plastic fragmentation and pathways, as well as their ecological impact. Investigating mesoplastic sources will help develop targeted policies and mitigation strategies to address plastic pollution. These pollutants are found across aquatic, terrestrial, and agricultural ecosystems. Unlike microplastics, mesoplastics are reviewed in the scientific literature. This paper focuses on existing published research on mesoplastics, determining the trends and synthesizing key findings related to mesoplastic pollution. Research primarily focused on marine and freshwater ecosystems, with surface water and beach sediments being the most studied compartments. Mesoplastics research often offers baseline data, with increased publications from 2014 to 2024, particularly in East Asia. However, certain ecosystems and regions remain underrepresented. Also, mesoplastics can disrupt ecosystems by degrading biodiversity, contaminating soils and waters, and affecting food chains. Mesoplastics can also become vectors for additives and pathogenic microorganisms, highlighting their environmental risks. Various factors influence mesoplastics' prevalence, including anthropogenic and non-anthropogenic activities. With this, future research should expand into less-studied ecosystems and regions, explore mesoplastic interactions with pollutants and organisms, and promote public awareness, education, and policy measures to reduce plastic use and mitigate pollution globally.