Sources of Micro and Nano Plastic Hydrocarbon Pollutants in Marine Bodies and Their Treatment

Through recent studies, micro and nano plastics (MNPs) have proven to be a subtle environmental problem. Evidence has been discovered, establishing MNPs as a noteworthy concern in the marine environment and posing a risk to human well-being. The MNP contamination, formerly believed to exist independently in land, sea, and air, is interconnected. The global rise in environmental contamination caused by micro and nanoplastics has become a pressing issue that requires immediate response. The current strong demand for plastic, driven by its low cost, inertness, flexibility, resistance to oxidation, and durability, has significantly increased environmental pollution. Urban areas, which are the primary contributors to these pollutants, must enhance community awareness and education to reduce the presence of pollution-causing substances. These pollutants not only degrade the environment but also, according to current studies, have an equally detrimental impact on human health. Hence its high time to take proper steps to reduce the amount of MNP pollutants and make the treatment processes more efficient further on. This systematic review aims at the summarization of effects of MNPs as pollutants in marine ecology, their impact on the marine world and human health along with the effective treatment processes to reduce their amount as pollutants and to help future researchers to take the required steps to enhance the treatment technologies, accordingly.