The Microplastics and Human Health: Their Sources, and Impact

Plastic has been as a revolutionary material in many aspects of our lives, for example, healthcare, food packing, and industry sectors, saving lives, improving life quality and increasing producibility. In the meanwhile, plastic is becoming an insidious and persistent global pollutant in serval different formats. For example, plastic can fragmentates into microplastics, particles less than five millimeters in size, being present across every ecosystem on Earth, from the mountains to the oceans, and even within our bodies. Twenty years after the term "microplastic" was first introduced, rising concerns have been brought to the public and the scientific community continue to unravel the complex and far-reaching consequences of this pervasive contaminant. This review summarizes the current understanding of microplastic pollution, drawing upon foundational and recent peer-reviewed literature to provide an updated perspective on their sources, formation, environmental fate, toxicological effects, and the evolving landscape of remediation and policy.