Why is there a great concern about the ‘microbeads’ that are released into environment?

The correct answer is A. Microbeads are tiny plastic particles, usually under 5 mm, added to face scrubs, toothpastes and similar personal care products. Sewage treatment plants often cannot filter them fully, so they reach rivers and oceans. There they are eaten by fish, filter feeders and other marine organisms, and they accumulate up the food chain. That is why they are treated as a marine pollution concern.

• B is wrong. There is no established link between microbeads and skin cancer in children. The concern is ecological.
• C is wrong. Microbeads are not a crop-absorption issue. The concern is their build-up in water bodies.
• D is wrong. Food adulteration involves substances like metanil yellow or harmful colourants, not microbeads.

Core concept: plastic pollution and microplastics. For Mains, this fits GS-III (environment, marine ecosystems) and Extended Producer Responsibility under the Plastic Waste Management Rules. The USA restricted microbeads in rinse-off cosmetics through the Microbead-Free Waters Act, 2015.

Trap: candidates pick B because the question sounds like a health issue. The answer lies in the environmental impact.