Marine microplastic pollution and misinformation in the public sphere: a systematic review

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Date
2024-11-04
Authors
Agnew, Sonya
Kopke, Kathrin
Power, Orla Peach
Dozier, Amy
Fitzgerald, Eimear
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Publisher
Springer Nature
Published Version
10.1007/s44289-024-00033-6
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Abstract
Marine microplastic pollution is a persistent global issue that has gained scientific attention for over two decades. Nevertheless, knowledge gaps remain, particularly in how inconsistencies in communicating scientific evidence can lead to misinformation. A systematic review was conducted to identify how previous research has examined miscommunication about microplastics in the public sphere. Of the 274 scientific publications identified, 15 were found eligible for inclusion in the study. These publications were analysed to establish (i) the methodologies employed to investigate microplastic communication in the public sphere, (ii) how existing information contributes to microplastic miscommunication, and (iii) what level of awareness and knowledge around microplastic pollution has been established. Our analysis revealed two primary study types: participant-based (e.g., via surveys, focus groups) and text-based studies of media content (e.g., newspapers, digital platforms). The participant-based studies showed misperceptions about impacts on human health and their pathways into the natural environment, even among well-informed or professionally involved individuals. The text-based studies revealed inexact media reporting involving scientific referencing, content accuracy, representation of microplastic pollution, and sensationalist tones. The findings highlight the need for further research into the miscommunication of microplastic pollution to facilitate best practice in the communication of scientifically accurate information across audiences.
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Keywords
Marine microplastic , Microplastic pollution , Misinformation , Microplastic communication , Microplastic miscommunication , [ERI] , [MaREI]
Citation
Agnew, S, Kopke, K, Power, O P, Dozier, A & Fitzgerald, E 2024, 'Marine microplastic pollution and misinformation in the public sphere: a systematic review', Discover Oceans, vol. 1, 30, pp. 1-16. https://doi.org/10.1007/s44289-024-00033-6
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https://hdl.handle.net/10468/19373
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MaREI Research Ireland Centre for Energy, Climate and Marine
Environmental Research Institute (ERI)
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© 2024, authors. This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License, which permits any non-commercial use, sharing, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if you modified the licensed material.