Nano- and microplastics – pollution of the 21st century

Abstract

Plastics are an important material in our economy and everyday life. Thanks to low production costs and the ability to form them into various shapes, they have become the most universal material in the world. Plastics are mass-produced for applications in packaging, construction, electrical and electronics, textiles, transportation and agriculture. Global plastic production in 2021 amounted to 391 million tonnes. As a result of physical, biological, chemical or thermal processes, these materials decompose, forming particles called microplastics (MP) and/or nanoplastics (NP), which have become a significant environmental pollutant in the last decade. These xenobiotics are found in the air, water, soil, as well as in living organisms. They may also cause adverse effects on human health.