A Review of Colorimetric Methods for Microplastic Detection in the Environment

According to the new findings of scientists, millions of tons of waste from plastic materials enter the oceans every year. Accumulation, decomposition, and penetration into organisms' life cycle and feed cycle pose a serious threat to the health of humans and the global ecosystem. The production of plastic materials worldwide has increased dramatically in recent years. Any plastic material that is consumed and then enters nature and seas as waste may be divided into many pieces and pollute the environment. Microplastics are directly transferred to the rivers and the sea through sewage or landfill leachate. Microplastics are bioavailable to organisms due to their small size. Their composition and relatively wide surface have made them suitable for absorbing organic pollutants. This article investigates the characteristics, sources of production, ways of entering and its effects on the environment, introduction and identification-analysis methods of these particles. Among the visual methods, the new method of qualitative and quantitative identification of microplastics using colorimetry with the help of fluorescent dyes has been noticed.