Comprehensive review of microplastics pollution, exploring its impact on living organisms and the environment as well as remediation techniques

Microplastics Analysis and Characterization explains the different methods and applications used for the identification, collection, sampling, separation, and removal of microplastics in the environment and provides a toxicological analysis of their environmental impact. The book discusses the industrial and commercial production and generation of microplastics, including the history and evolution of microplastics and their impact on living organisms.

Both petrochemical and bio-based microplastics are extensively covered with case studies from around the globe, particularly as they contribute to the pollution of air, land, oceans, and rivers, and the effects of being ingested by marine life. The book also covers theoretical studies, modeling, Life Cycle Assessment, and machine learning techniques.

The book reviews the differences between primary and secondary microplastics, fragmentation of microplastics, and the specifics of how microplastics are eventually released into the environment. Readers will also find information on the physical properties of microplastics, including their size, shape, colors, surface area, density, and mechanical properties.

Edited by experts across multiple disciplines, this book explores sample topics including:

• Degradation behaviors of microplastics including biotic and abiotic degradation
• Forensic approaches to reduce cross-contamination when collecting microplastics
• Physical separation techniques including sieving of filtration, centrifugation, and sedimentation and chemical separation techniques including dissolution and density separation
• Microscopic techniques for analysis of microplastics including scanning electronic microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM)
• Characterization and quantification of microplastics by spectroscopy techniques, covering infrared spectroscopy (IR) and Raman spectroscopy

Microplastics Analysis and Characterization is an excellent reference on the subject for researchers, academics, and professionals in industrial chemistry, analytical sciences, polymer science, and environmental chemistry.