The behaviors of microplastics in the marine environment

• We reviewed the physical, chemical and biological behaviors of microplastics in the marine environment.
• Mechanisms (sedimentation, shore deposition, nanofragmentation, and ingestion) that remove floating plastics are at play.
• Biodegradation of plastics is characterized by formation of biofim, weight loss and visual pits.
• Risks associated with ingested plastics come from the material itself and the sorbed pollutants.
• Areas for future research that deserve further attentions on this growing issue are proposed.

Despite the pollution of microplastics being internationally recognized, the understanding of their behaviors in marine environment is still developing. Microplastics are ubiquitous in the marine environment, with the potential to cause harm to marine ecosystem. Here, we would classify the behaviors of microplastics as physical behaviors (i.e. migration, sedimentation and accumulation), chemical behaviors (i.e. degradation and adsorption) and biobehaviors (i.e. ingestion, translocation and biodegradation), and a further discussion on their behavioral mechanisms were presented to better understand their impacts for the marine environment.