Challenges and Treatment of Microplastics in Water

Microplastics are particularly problematic and could pose big treatment. challenges. In today’s world, plastic is an essential raw material. Since their invention in the 1930s, plastics have become ubiquitous in the manufacture of everyday products. Part of the problem stems from the fact that it can be difficult to pinpoint the exact source of the microplastics because of their relatively fragmented nature, small size, and a wide range of potential sources. Microplastics have become a threat to the environment, a concern reflected by sites with unusually high concentrations and a possibility of even greater concentrations in the future. Consequently, the use and subsequent release of microplastics must be drastically reduced as part of a global initiative even prior to the availability of research studies outlining the long-term risks involved. This chapter will interrogate key sources of microplastics, assess their capacity to problematize water resources in urban environments, as well as offer an analysis of its effects on the environment and some of the methodologies that can be applied to control it.