This study aims to characterise and quantify plastic accumulation in The Great Pacific Garbage Patch (GPGP), a zone formed in subtropical waters between California and Hawaii. Surveys predicted at least 79 (45–129) thousand tonnes of ocean plastic floating in an area of 1.6 million km2. Polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) were predominantly found in this oceanic region. Results indicate 1.6 million km2 accumulation zone carrying around 42k metric tons of megaplastics, ~20k metric tons of macroplastics (e.g. crates, eel trap cones, bottles), ~10 k metric tons of mesoplastics (e.g. bottle caps, oyster spacers), and ~6.4 k metric tons of microplastics (e.g. fragments of rigid plastic objects, ropes and fishing nets).
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[…]
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[…]
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[…]
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[…]
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[…]