Microplastic and Nanoplastic Pollution in Water Bodies from Conventional Packaging Materials

The occurrence of microplastics and nanoplastics in water bodies are gaining global attention as they cause severe pollution, harm the aquatic environment and indirectly enter the human body through biological chain amplification. Also, these microplastics and nanoplastics are the carrier of various heavy metals and organic contaminants and lead to the formation of several complex pollutants in later stages, which once ingested can cause several complications in aquatic organisms and human beings. The primary sources of these pollutants include the untreated disposal of conventional packaging materials such as household items, personal care products, surfactants, pesticides and industrial products containing nanomaterials. As nanotechnology or the usage of various nanomaterials in packaging applications has emerged only recently, very little is known about its harmful impact in the environment, its physical and chemical factors, toxic effects on human health, and so on. This chapter presents some of the most current scientific findings on these emerging pollutants, emphasizing their potentiality as well as the dangers they bring. Moreover, microplastics and nanoplastics will be discussed in terms of their health and environmental consequences on biota. Further, alternatives to conventional plastic for packaging, such as biodegradable packaging materials derived from nature, and their future in upcoming packaging technology will be summarized.