Microplastic Pollutants

Microplastic Pollutants introduces the reader to the growing problem of microplastic pollution in the aquatic environment and is the first ever book dedicated exclusively to the subject of microplastics. Importantly, this timely full-colour illustrated multidisciplinary book highlights the very recent realization that microplastics may transport toxic chemicals into food chains around the world.

Microplastic pollutants is currently an important topic in both industry and academia, as well as among legislative bodies, and research in this area is gaining considerable attention from both the worldwide media and scientific community on a rapidly increasing scale.

Ultimately, this book provides an excellent source of reference and information on microplastics for scientists, engineers, students, industry, policy makers and citizens alike.

• A detailed chronological history of plastic materials from their creation until the present day
• Extensive review and discussion of the existing literature on the interactions of microplastics with chemical pollutants and their effects on aquatic life
• Explanation and provision of the techniques used for the detection, separation and identification of microplastics
• Detailed multidisciplinary information on the way in which plastic materials and microplastics behave in the aquatic environment
• The provision of extensive multidisciplinary reference data relating to plastic materials and microplastics

Environmental scientists, ecotoxicologists, ecologists, environmental managers, fisheries, water suppliers, waste water treatment, pollution, marine biologists, environmental chemists, industry, engineers, citizens ,media and policy makers

1. The emergence of plastics
2. The contemporary history of plastics
3. Plastic production, waste and legislation
4. Physiochemical properties and degradation
5. Microplastics, standardisation and spatial distribution
6. The interactions of microplastics and chemical pollutants
7. The biological impacts and effects of contaminated microplastics
8. Microplastic collection techniques
9. Microplastic separation techniques
10. Microplastic identification techniques