Aquatic microplastics research in the ASEAN region: Analysis of challenges and priorities

Research on microplastics must be harmonized. Therefore, we thoroughly evaluated in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) region, addressing challenges and priorities in protocol harmonization and microplastics research promotion. Of the 615 papers searched by the Web of Science, 164 were used for this systematic review. The number of ASEAN research articles has increased over time. Examination of research protocols in various sampling environments revealed several challenges: 1) Disparities in access to sampling locations affect the research extent; 2) Outdated protocols and limited access to technologies such as FTIR (Fourier-transform infrared) spectroscopy result in less harmonized and potentially lower-quality data; and 3) Insufficiently detailed methods and QA/QC information hampers comparability. We offer procedure updates to overcome these limitations and cover environmental microplastic study gaps. Other countries in the Global South may encounter similar challenges, making this review a valuable contribution to advancing global microplastics research and fostering international collaboration.