Nawab et al. (2025): From pollution to ocean warming: The climate impacts of marine microplastics
Asim Nawab, Muhammad Tariq Khan, I. Ihsanullah, Mohammad Nafees and Aamir Mehmood Shah, IN: Journal of Hazardous Materials Advances, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hazmp.2025.100032
Despite being a critical global issue, the role of microplastics (MPs) in climate change has received limited attention. Climate disruption and plastic pollution are two major environmental challenges that intersect in complex ways. MPs influence biogeochemical processes, disrupt oceanic carbon pumps, and contribute directly to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. In marine ecosystems, MPs alter the natural carbon sequestration by affecting phytoplankton and zooplankton, which are key agents of carbon cycling. Additionally, the plastisphere, a microbial community colonizing MPs, plays a significant role in GHG production due to its diverse microbial networks.