Juliana A. Ivar do Sul, Monica F. Costa, The present and future of 
microplastic pollution in the marine environment, Environmental 
Pollution, Volume 185, February 2014, Pages 352-364, ISSN 0269-7491, 
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2013.10.036.
(http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0269749113005642)
Abstract: Recently, research examining the occurrence of microplastics 
in the marine environment has substantially increased. Field and 
laboratory work regularly provide new evidence on the fate of 
microplastic debris. This debris has been observed within every marine 
habitat. In this study, at least 101 peer-reviewed papers investigating 
microplastic pollution were critically analysed (Supplementary 
material). Microplastics are commonly studied in relation to (1) 
plankton samples, (2) sandy and muddy sediments, (3) vertebrate and 
invertebrate ingestion, and (4) chemical pollutant interactions. All of 
the marine organism groups are at an eminent risk of interacting with 
microplastics according to the available literature. Dozens of works on 
other relevant issues (i.e., polymer decay at sea, new sampling and 
laboratory methods, emerging sources, externalities) were also analysed 
and discussed. This paper provides the first in-depth exploration of the 
effects of microplastics on the marine environment and biota. The number 
of scientific publications will increase in response to present and 
projected plastic uses and discard patterns. Therefore, new themes and 
important approaches for future work are proposed.
Keywords: Marine debris; Risk to marine life; Priority pollutants; 
Coastal environments; POPs; Literature review

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