How do humans recognize and face challenges of microplastic pollution in marine environments? A bibliometric analysis. (1st July 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Wu, Mengjie; Jiang, Yuelu; Kwong, Raymond W.M.; Brar, Satinder Kaur; Zhong, Huan; Ji, Rong
• Is Part Of: Environmental pollution. Volume 280(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-07-01
• Subjects: Microplastics -- Occurrence -- Characterization -- Analytical methods -- Ecotoxicology -- Human health; Pollution -- Periodicals; Pollution -- Environmental aspects -- Periodicals; Environmental Pollution -- Periodicals; Pollution -- Périodiques; Pollution -- Aspect de l'environnement -- Périodiques; Pollution -- Effets physiologiques -- Périodiques; Pollution; Pollution -- Environmental aspects; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 363.73
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.116959
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0269-7491

Abstract

Abstract: Microplastics (MPs) are abundant in marine environments, drawing global attention from scientists and rendering it significant to review the research progress and predict future trends of this field. To achieve that, we collected 1898 publications on marine MPs from Web of Science and performed a bibliometric analysis by CiteSpace and VOSviewer. Additionally, we utilized an unrestricted retrieval of literature from ScienceDirect to supplement our major findings. Trends in publication numbers show the growth in study from the initial stage ( 2012 and before), when microplastic (MP) occurrence, abundance, and distribution were primarily investigated. Throughout the ascent stage (between 2013–2016), when diverse sampling and analytical methods were applied to capture and identify MPs from the ocean, baseline data have been gleaned on physiochemical properties of MPs. The research focus then shifted to the bioaccumulation and ecotoxicological effects of MPs on marine biota, further highlighting their potential deleterious impacts on human health via dietary exposure, and this period was defined as the exploration stage (2017 and onwards). Nevertheless, key challenges including the lack of standard procedures for MP sampling, technical limitations in MP detecting and identification, and controversy about the underlying effects on the marine ecosystems and humans have also been arisen in the last decade. The present study elucidates how we gradually recognize MP pollution in marine environments and what challenges we face, suggesting future avenues for MP research. Graphical abstract: Image 1 Highlights: Initial, ascent, and exploration research stages of marine MPs are identified. Establishing standardized protocols for MP analyses is a pivotal issue. Humans are directly and indirectly exposed to marine MPs. Advancing the understanding of the health impacts of MPs is urgently needed. Abstract : This review shows how we recognize microplastic pollution in marine environments and what challenges we face from a bibliometric perspective.