Microplastic Pollution in the Environment

Microplastics are frequent and widespread environmental pollutants. The emerging pollutants are virtually existing in all aspects of environmental sections. The knowledge, data and information on the sources, fates and concentrations at various environmental sections over a period of time and space are still limited. The limitations can be attributed to the volume, laborious skills, technical requirements and varied analytical procedures presently utilised. This chapter conducted a critical review of the methods and procedures presently utilised for sampling, collecting and detecting microplastics in water and wastewater. The chapter identified defects in some of the methods and procedures. It provided the design and steps and suggested capable alternative techniques. The chapter provides an understanding of the majority of samples collected, preservations, separation, storage, digestion, analysis, identification, computation and quantification, and qualification of environmental cross-contamination. In the study, over 55 journal articles over a period of 25 years on detection, sampling, digestion, preservation, storage, analysis, computation and efficacies the procedures and methods were reviewed and discussed. It was concluded that the best sampling techniques for microplastic particles will progress in representation, observation, reproducibility and replication completion in the examination of filter medium, pore dimension and size, bulk sample volume, density detachment and separation of the microplastic particles and digestion of the water solutions. The utilisation of the best methods and procedures will enhance visual identification and separation by staining dyes, and the generalised and globalised utilisation of chemical and physical characterisation.