Micro and Nanoplastics An Emerging Threat to Aquatic Biota

Micro and Nanoplastics: An Emerging Threat to Aquatic Biota provides an essential reference for scientists, researchers, and students working in the isolation, identification, characterization, and toxicity of microplastics in the aquatic and terrestrial biota, and in human health. The book introduces micro and nanoplastics, including their pervasiveness and physicochemical properties in various environments. Chapters discuss methods and strategies for micro and nanoplastics extraction, characterization, and identification-covering the latest research on micro and nanoplastics accumulation and transfer in the food chain, exposure routes, macro-molecular interactions, potential impacts on humans, and global initiatives on banning single-use plastics, reducing plastic usage, and environmental release.

• Presents methods throughout, highlighted in boxed sections to explain the theory behind all practices presented
• Includes a critical thinking section that stimulates research toward filling the knowledge gaps in microplastics research
• Offers definitions at the beginning of each chapter so all readers can understand the scientific terms included

1. Plastics, microplastics and nanoplastics
2. Physicochemical properties and methods for the extraction of microplastics from various sample types
3. Micro and nanoplastics characterization and identification techniques
4. Interaction of micro and nanoplastics on toxic substances, chemical pollutants, and pathogens
5. Accumulation and impacts of micro and nanoplastics on marine biodiversity
6. Accumulation and impacts of micro and nanoplastics on freshwater biodiversity
7. Accumulation and impacts of micro and nanoplastics on the terrestrial biodiversity
8. Exposure and effects of micro and nanoplastics on human
9. Fate and transport of micro and nanoplastics in the food web, from primary producer to human
10. The global strategies, policies, and regulations for the control and mitigation of micro and nano plastic pollution

Professor Natarajan Chandrasekaran FRES, FRSB, FRSC, Director, Centre for Nanobiotechnology, Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT), has made several conceptually important and widely cited contributions to the area of nano-biotechnology. He has made pioneering contributions in the preparation and applications of neem-nanoemulsion biopolymer beads for controlling bacterial infection in hatchery animals under DST technology development, Nanoemulsion impregnated biopolymer films for packaging of fruits to improve shelf life, Nanopermethrin/Nano-DEEPA with biopolymer impregnated fabrics for mosquito repellent, Exopolysaccharide loaded nanoemulsion cross-linked biopolymer nanocomposites as a wound healing gauze, cancer cell targeting using nanoemulsion, nanoplastics particles used in consumer products. Additionally he has 12 patents published in the area of nanobiotechnology, A patent on isolation chamber design for microplastics separation in environmental samples, 278 peer reviewed publications, He has completed 21 funded projects. He is Fellow Royal Society for Biology (FRSB) and Fellow Royal Entomological Society of London (FRES) and Fellow Royal Society of Chemistry (FRSC).
P.M. Gopinath works in the Department of Biotechnology, Centre for Nanotechnology at Indian Institute of Technology, VIT, Vellore, India.