The environmental impact of microplastics has become an increasingly urgent issue in recent years. These tiny plastic particles, typically less than 5 millimeters in diameter, are ubiquitous in the environment and have raised significant concerns due to their persistence, bioaccumulation potential, and ability to cause harm to ecosystems and human health. Microplastics enter the environment through a variety of sources, including the degradation of larger plastic items, industrial processes, and the shedding of microfibers from textiles. They can be found in virtually every ecosystem on Earth, from the deepest ocean trenches to remote Arctic ice, and have been detected in a wide range of environmental media, including air, water, soil, and sediments. Due to their small size, persistence, and diverse origins, microplastics are difficult to manage and pose complex challenges for environmental monitoring and regulation. As a result, there is a growing demand for analytical methods that can effectively detect and quantify microplastics in environmental samples. Microplastics are typically categorized based on their size, shape, and polymer composition.
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Journal of Environmental Analytical Chemistry received 1781 citations as per Google Scholar report
