Microplastic Pollution: Causes, Effects and Control

The estimation of microplastic pollution in the terrestrial and aquatic ecosystem is carried out by quantification and identification of the contaminated environment. Microplastic estimation consists of various steps such as sampling, visualization and quantification. Generally, the planktonic net, bongo net, manta net, and neuston net have been used for water sampling. While, grab samplers, tweezers, tablespoons, trowels, shovels, spatulas, or hand picking methods have been used for soil and sediment sampling. The biological sample from the study sites comprises the direct collection of the whole organism or its colony as a sampling unit. However all samples are required to be processed further to extract the microplastic using techniques such as filtration, density extraction, digestion, and magnetic & electrostatic extraction. The digestion method is used for direct characterization such as thermal gravimetric analysis. The identification of microplastic is based on microscopic images which provide the shape, size, colour, and texture of the microplastic surface. Visual identification using microscopes is time-consuming and susceptible to human error as well as a risk of misidentification, which leads to underestimation or overestimation of microplastic pollution. Spectroscopic methods such as ATR-FTIR, µ-FTIR and Raman spectroscopy provide identification and quantification of synthetic polymer. Advance combined analytical techniques have been reported during the last few years such as portable micro-Raman, SEM-FTIR, Pyr-GC-MS, TGA-DSC, and PEE. Priority and care are essential concerning the sampling, storage and handling microplastic samples for the QA/QC for accurate analysis. The present chapter aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the current knowledge of tools and techniques used for microplastic inquiries from an environmental sample.

Microplastics are ubiquitous on the earth, even in the purest environments like arctic snow, inaccessible mountains, via. Microplastics may be disseminated via air fallout near metropolitan areas, however, the great bulk of data points to water as the primary distribution channel. Researchers have discovered that surface and groundwater are also polluted by microplastics, despite maximum research focusing on marine pollution. The international community visualizes a decline in the concentration of floating plastic waste as an essential step toward the long-term sustainability of the seas. However, there is presently no universally acknowledged indicator of floating plastics trash density. Ultimately, a significant portion of the present microplastic proliferation has been attributed to wastewater, which is frequently not efficiently treated to eliminate such tiny, hydrophobic pollutants. Previously treated wastewater is discharged into water bodies, which in turn feed natural water reserves. Microplastics are also dispersed into the soil and terrestrial ecosystems by certain communities that irrigate their crops with wastewater. A further problem is that micro plastic-rich sludge from wastewater facilities is used as a fertilizer for food crops. It is crucial to keep an eye out for new developments in bioplastics and biodegradable polymers that avoid the build-up of microplastics in the food and agriculture industries.

Microplastics are the compound class of greatly altered, synthetic particulates, which pollute wide-ranging types of environments. Being an impending source of concern owing to wide variability in their size range makes them potentially dangerous at all trophic levels. Numerous studies have studied the harmful effects of microplastics on the biota. The present study aims to compile information about the effect of microplastics on various species belonging to different taxonomic groups as reported from different parts of the world based on which, a general overview has been generated which clearly emphasizes that substantial efforts are required to deeply investigate the abundance, distribution and effects of microplastics on the flora and fauna of both terrestrial as well as aquatic ecosystems. However, the influence of microplastic contamination on human health and plants has received less intention. The knowledge derived from various studies clearly indicates that in order to safeguard our environment from the deteriorating effects of microplastics, we need to thoroughly control the amount of plastic production. Moreover, stress should be laid to make more use of bio-degradable products so as to minimize the demand for these plastic materials. Also, there is a dire need to aware the masses about the harmful effects of microplastics and the adoption of such policies at the global level which formulate a strong action plan for solid waste management so as to alleviate microplastic pollution, which otherwise could threaten ecological balance as well as harm the health and survival of various species. 

Microplastics (MPs) contamination has recently been recognized as a serious global concern for global food security and modern society's well-being due to its widespread presence in the aquatic and terrestrial environment. According to a growing number of reports, micro- and nanosized plastic components have been discovered in nearly every part of the world, from the bottom of the ocean to the mountain top. Microplastics have become prevalent in the environment due to the gradual disposal of plastic waste, a lack of conventional detection processes with particular removal techniques, and a slow disposal rate. By adsorbing various heavy metals, pathogens, and other chemical additives frequently utilised in the production of raw plastic, microplastics have been shown to work as potential vectors. At the tertiary level of the food chain, microplastics are consumed by marine organisms such as fish and crustaceans, and then by humans. This phenomenon is responsible for clogging digestive systems, disrupting digestion, and ultimately reducing the reproductive growth of entire living species. As a result of these repercussions, microplastics have become a growing concern as a new possible risk, demanding the management of microplastics in aquatic media. This review chapter gives a comprehensive overview of existing and newly developed technologies for detecting and removing microplastics from aquatic environments in order to minimise the ultimate possible impact on aquatic habitats. 

The presence of microplastics in the environment has been declared as an emerging pollutant because the production of plastic is increasing tremendously throughout the world without proper management. Microplastics (MPs) are small plastic particles (size <5mm) released directly from the use of cosmetic products, or indirectly through the degradation of large plastic items under environmental conditions. Nowadays, it is estimated that annually between 4 and 14 million tonnes of plastic go into the seas and are hazardous to aquatic life. Fishes may ingest microplastics either directly or from the prey containing these particles. MPs were found between the stomach, gut, and intestine of the fish. These MPs accumulated in the fish body which causes serious health issues leading to mortality of the fish. MPs can cause various eco-toxicological effects on fish like behavioral change, cytotoxicity, neurotoxicity effects, liver stress, etc.

 Microplastic pollution has become a serious problem that affects all marine and terrestrial environments worldwide. In this study, we investigated microplastics in the beach sediments and thus we collected 18 sediments from seven locations in Thoothukudi coastal area. Microplastics were separated and recognized using visual and micro-Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (µFT-IR) studies. Microplastics’ concentration ranges from high concentrations (up to 53 particles kg-1 d.w) in the dune areas to visibly lower ranges compared to beach sediments (up to 27 particles kg-1 d.w). The majority of microplastics identified in collected sediments were polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), fiber(F), cellulose(CL) and nylon(NY) . The result of this study can provide valuable background information about microplastic pollution by using Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and the outcome of the results shows the presence of microplastics that pollute the marine environment in Thoothukudi coastal area and the human health risk in these areas.

The presence of microplastics (MPs) throughout the world causes a serious threat to the functionality and vigor of the ecosystem, which is present in almost all habitats, such as in aquatic, atmospheric and terrestrial habitats, and is also found in human consumables. Recently it has been found that MPs have entered the human body through the food chain from terrestrial agriculture. Migration and retention of MPs in the soil are controlled by the interaction between MPs and various environmental factors. There is an immense need in real-world environments to understand the migration properties and key mechanisms of MPs. Various organisms such as plants, animals, different microorganisms present in the soil, etc. are impacted by the presence of toxic MPs in the environment. Therefore, to ensure food safety and sustainable agriculture, MPs should be treated as a future threat and attention should be given to understand the mechanisms of transport and ecotoxicological effects of contaminants released from MPs. The aim of the present chapter is to emphasize the impact of MPs on various organisms present in the ecosystem and their interaction with other contaminants.

Microplastics pose an imminent risk to the marine environment, biota, and ecosystem. Their consumption threatens organisms because of the material's ability to absorb and concentrate environmental contaminants in oceans and then transfer them through food chains. Microplastic may harm soil biota, such as earthworms, and can alter soil biophysical parameters, such as soil bulk density, aggregation, and water-holding capacity. To find alternatives to microplastics, scientists have developed biodegradable plastics that can be discarded in the environment and broken down quickly by the enzymatic activity of micro-organisms. Bioplastics are made from biological or renewable components. The bioplastic produced from potato peels, corn, sugarcane, wheat, rice, banana peels, and other natural materials is eco-friendly and biodegradable. Bioplastic is also known as Low-carbon plastic. The use of low-carbon plastic aids in the regulation of global temperature rise. It is used to make toys, home interiors, shopping bags, bottles, labels, trash bags, and packaging materials. It has wide applications for bone nails and tissue scaffolds in the medical industry. Its development also faces other obstacles, including price difficulties, technical improvements, and waste collection and treatment. Synthesis and characterization methods will help overcome these obstacles. The present chapter will focus on bioplastic and its types, the synthesis of bioplastic, the difference between microplastic and bioplastic, and bioplastic as an alternative approach. 

 A growing interest in microplastic pollution in the environment demands simple, inexpensive, comparable, and robust methods for microplastic (MP) analysis. A wide range of methodologies for sampling, sample preparation, and MP analysis are in use. This chapter discusses the most common detection methods, as well as sampling strategies and sample preparation methods along with a special emphasis on challenges. The spectroscopic methods require time-consuming sample preparation and measurement durations, whereas thermo-analytical methods are faster but lack the ability to determine sample size distribution. Many articles concerning the quality and quantity of MPs in various matrices have been published. However, drawbacks and limitations in MP analyses are frequently overlooked or ignored. As a result, depending on the defined analytical question, the majority of the described methods are applicable. As a result, this chapter summarizes current sampling, sample preparation, and analysis methods, discusses limitations, and outlines the complexities associated with MP loss or contamination during sampling and laboratory testing.

Plastic is one of the most commonly produced and used materials in the world due to its great features. It has also become the most prevalent type of debris found in our oceans, lakes, wetlands, and other lentic systems. Plastic (from the Greek “plastikos”, meaning mouldable) is made of synthetic organic polymers. Anthropogenic activity has resulted in the deposition of a complex combination of materials in different water bodies, which may include synthetic polymers (plastics) which are degraded into smaller fragments which will be in the size of <5 mm; these are termed microplastics. Microplastic pollution is one of the main matters of concern nowadays, specifically due to the increasing anthropogenic activities in and around the different water bodies which lead to ubiquitous distribution of microplastics in water systems. It is a gleaming topic among the environmentalists of the world. The environmental release of MPs will occur from a wide variety of sources, including emissions from wastewater treatment plants, cosmetics, toothpaste, etc. and from the degradation of larger plastic debris. In recent years, interest in the effects of microplastics (MPs) has shifted towards freshwater ecosystems and in this chapter, we provide an overview of the issues of microplastic pollution that are concerned with manmade water bodies which can be inland as well as coastal environments as well as the sources of contamination of water bodies with microplastics, their influence and a conclusion.