Identification, Quantification and Removal of Microplastics from Various Sources

Abstract

Microplastics in the environment pose a significant threat to the entire ecosystem. The frequent utility of plastic in daily life, inadequate disposal, and improper waste management leads to a wide distribution of microplastic in atmospheric, terrestrial, and aquatic environments. Household, industrial, tyre wear and tear, construction, incineration, plastic litter, landfill, and agricultural activities are the major sources of microplastics in the environment. Microplastics are associated with various monomers and plastic additives. On the other hand, it becomes the carrier of toxic and hazardous chemicals from the surrounding environment. Microplastics enter the human body through the air, food, and drinking water (tap and bottled water). Taking all these issues into consideration, the main objectives of this work are divided into four sections. The first section deals with microplastics in Brahmaputra River water, tap water, and household purified water. The second section deals with the identification of microplastics in sea water and beach sediments. The third section deals with the identification of microplastics in Indian edible salts and the removal of microplastics to produce microplastic-free salt. The fourth section deals with the quantification of microplastics and removal from the laundry outlets using the electrocoagulation method.