Publications

Evidence of microplastics in wetlands: Extraction and quantification in Freshwater and coastal ecosystems
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Microplastics are the emerging non-degradable pollutants in natural ecosystems. It impacts humans and wildlife, mainly aquatic species, by getting incorporated into the food chain due to their sizes (< 5 mm). Microplastics are common in the marine ecosystems but are also present in the freshwater ecosystems, such as in lakes, ponds, river basins, wetlands, or even in moist agricultural lands and groundwater. This paper focuses on the primary sources, detection, and quantification of microplastics in wetlands, both freshwater and coastal, based on research conducted worldwide. Fibers (thread), fragments, filaments, foams, and microbeads are common shapes of microplastics observed in wetland ecosystems. Microplastics pollution has been observed in wetlands with an abundance of up to 5531 particles m−3 and 6360 particles kg–1 in water and sediment samples, respectively. This study also discusses the recent progress in extraction, characterization, and quantification techniques in order to identify research gaps, such as the interaction of microplastic and heavy metals and organic compounds in the wetland ecosystem. Microplastics in size range of 0.12–9.5 mm have been reported in wetland biota. Furthermore, ecological concerns are identified in terms of threats and disturbances caused by microplastics to the freshwater organisms present in wetlands. Finally, it outlines the future scope, research gap, and potential solutions for microplastic pollution research in wetlands.

Latest Posts

1
The effects of riverside cities on microplastics in river water: A case study on the Southern Jiangsu Canal, China

The paper studies the microplastic abundances and characteristics in the Southern Jiangsu Canal to reveal the effect of riverside cities on microplastics in river water. The results show that the microplastic abundance in the water body of the South Jiangsu Canal ranges from 3.41 to 19.07 particles L−1, with an average of 9.59 ± 3.95[…]

2
Distribution and weathering characteristics of microplastics in paddy soils following long-term mulching: A field study in Southwest China

This paper reveals the status of microplastic pollution in paddy soil with long-term mulching. The study investigates the distribution and weathering characteristics of filmy microplastics in a mulched paddy field (non-mulched, four years of mulched, and ten years of continuous mulched soil were investigated) in Southwest China. The filmy microplastics accumulated annually in the plough[…]

3
Review of polymer technologies for improving the recycling and upcycling efficiency of plastic waste

The paper reviews advancements in polymer technologies that aim to improve the efficiency of recycling and upcycling plastic waste. Increasing the rate of recycling and upcycling is critical for addressing the issues caused by plastic pollution, and, at the same time, overcoming the technical limitations on the same. The research emphasises the need to develop[…]

4
Nanoplastics are significantly different from microplastics in urban waters

The study analyses the current advancements in the behavioural differences between MPs and NPs in urban waters. Analytical challenges, fate, interactions with surrounding pollutants, and eco-impacts of MPs and NPs are similarly discussed in this paper. It has been highlighted in the study that the characterization and fate studies of NPs are more challenging as[…]

5
Unfolding the science behind policy initiatives targeting plastic pollution

The study investigates scientifically evidence-based policy initiatives for targeting plastic pollution. The issue of plastic pollution is complex and still related to several uncertainties, which implies that policy initiatives must allow for flexibility and ongoing evaluations to adjust to the evolving knowledge generation. It is also important that the scientific community provide the needed research[…]