Total plastic production is expected to reach 33 billion tons by 2050, and microplastic emissions from effluents to the environment range from 0.46 million to 140 billion tons. Microplastic distribution and toxicological effects are actually poorly known. Here we review microplastic pollution with emphasis on their environmental distribution, their aging, their analysis in the environment and living organisms, their toxicity alone or combined with other contaminants, and their mitigation techniques. We present microplastic distribution in soil, water, and the atmosphere. Microplastic aging is controlled by physical, chemical, and biological factors. Model organisms of microplastic exposure include zebrafish, earthworms, Caenorhabditis elegans, and Arabidopsis thaliana. Microplastic exposure to humans could induce gastrointestinal, pulmonary, reproductive, and cardiovascular toxicity, and neurotoxicity. We discuss the combined toxicity of microplastics with organic pollutants, heavy metals, endocrine disruptors, and antibiotics. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy are currently the most commonly used techniques for microplastic analysis.

到2050年，塑料总产量预计将达到330亿吨，废水中向环境排放的微塑料量为46万吨至1400亿吨。事实上，人们对微塑料的分布和毒理学效应知之甚少。在这里，我们回顾微塑料污染，重点是它们的环境分布、老化、它们在环境和生物体中的分析、它们单独或与其他污染物结合的毒性，以及它们的缓解技术。我们展示了土壤、水和大气中的微塑料分布。微塑料老化受物理、化学和生物因素控制。微塑料暴露的模型生物包括斑马鱼、蚯蚓、秀丽隐杆线虫和拟南芥。人类接触微塑料可能会引起胃肠道、肺部、生殖和心血管毒性以及神经毒性。我们讨论微塑料与有机污染物、重金属、内分泌干扰物和抗生素的综合毒性。傅里叶变换红外光谱和拉曼光谱是目前微塑料分析最常用的技术。