Microplastic contamination, an emerging threat to the freshwater environment: a systematic review

Abstract Microplastics have been noticed as widespread in an aquatic environment at the microscale. They have nonstop increased due to the increase in the production of synthetic plastics, population and poor waste management. They are ubiquitous in nature and slowly degrade in water and soil. They are emerging pollutants that have received interest from public audiences and research communities. They have great stability and can adsorb various other pollutants like pesticides, heavy metals, etc. After entering the freshwater environment, microplastics can be stored in the tissue of organisms and stay for a long time. They can generate a serious threat to freshwater ecosystems and can cause physical damage to…