Pollution
What is the definition of "xenobiotic"?
foreign synthetic material
Concentration of substances at a higher trophic level
What is the definition of "hydrophobic"?
What is the definition of "cytotoxicity"?
Quality of being toxic to cells
Is there a universal way to quantify microplastics?
No
How big are microplastics?
<5mm
What are 2 possible fates of microplastics?
Sedimentation/fragmentation and ingestion
How long does microplastic persist in soil under low light and low oxygen conditions?
100 years
What are the 2 components linked to the chemical effect of microplastics?
Leeching of plastic additives and properties of poorly soluble microplastic
What could more research in this area lead to?
Policy development and management of microplastic pollution.
What are the two main ways microplastic pollution occurs?
direct environmental emission and breakdown of large plastic litter
Microplastics were still found in agricultural fields after how many years?
15 years
What percentage of topsoil potentially contains microplastics?
60%
What are the 3 properties of soil that microplastics can effect?
Chemical, Physical, Microbiological
What is one method to provide quantitative data on microplastics?
Pressurized Fluid Extraction
How big are nanoplastics?
<0.1um
How do microplastics affect plant/pollinator interactions?
repel pollinators, transported by pollinators, alter floral traits and pollinator rewards, clog stigmas, etc.
What 2 consequences could losing fungi proteins due to microplastics have on soil health?
Soil erosion and biochemical changes
How can large microplastic particles affect natural processes?
Large particles limit exchanges of gases and compounds.
List 3 common methods for analyzing microplastics
Filtration, Separation, Degradation of organic matter, visual through IR, etc.
What is the difference between disintegration and degradation?
Disintegration = fragmentation into smaller pieces
Degradation = complete breakdown involving chemical processes
How can microplastic pollution affect biodiversity?
through selective pressures
What properties of soil make it essential for the water cycle and ecosystem functionality?
Structure and Texture
List a biological membrane that microplastics are able to pass through.
Blood brain barrier
List 3 limitations for the current ways of anaylzing microplastics
Degradation may also degrade some microplastics,
Visual is susceptible to human error
Filtering is low retention of microplastics
Particle size distributions aren't presented