Chapter 2

Microplastics Pollution

B. Sathya Priya and T. Stalin

Abstract

The marine ecosystem is highly contaminated by plastic debris, which is the major part of marine debris. Plastics are nondegradable and persistent in the environment for many centuries. The products which we are using in our day to day life have microplastics and the dumping of plastic waste is converted into microplastics by weathering and degradation. The microplastics’ contamination in the ocean and other products is an emerging global concern that has severe impacts on the environment and health problems to the biota. The ingestion of microplastics by the marine biota and the human being's also by consuming seafood and other products leads to severe health disorders. Moreover, the microplastics have a special feature of adsorbing the toxicants in the environment and act as a vehicle for the transfer of those toxicants to which the organisms are exposed. The top predators may be subjected to greater risk due to the ingestion of microplastics. This study deals with the sources of microplastics, their impacts on marine biota and human beings, the management and control measures of microplastic pollution in the environment.

Total Pages: 18-32 (15)

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