Microplastics in the environment: The role of polymer science

In this paper we highlight some fundamental aspects regarding the role of polymer science in the behavior of microplastics (MP) and in understanding the effects of MP on the environment and on the health of humans and other living species. We stress that MP is not just another type of microparticle that affects our environment. Instead, MP has polymer-specific interactions with the environment and living species, which cannot be fully understood without polymer science. We emphasize here the most important areas (nomenclature and terminology; MP's identification and characterization; fragmentation mechanism; environmental fate and transport; risk assessment; remediation; and alternative solutions) for the plastic waste and microplastics problem, which can be solved only through the combined efforts of all experts, including polymer scientists.