Choose an application

• Reference Manager
• EndNote
• RefWorks (Direct export to RefWorks)

This open access book provides a cross-sectoral, multi-scale assessment of marine litter in Africa with a focus on plastics. From distribution, to impacts on environmental and human health, this book looks at what is known scientifically. It includes a policy analysis of the instruments that currently exist, and what is needed to help Africa tackle marine litter—including local and transboundary sources. Across 5 chapters, experts from Africa and beyond have put together a summary of the scientific knowledge currently known about marine litter in Africa. The context of the African continent and future projections form a backdrop on which the scientific knowledge is built. This scientific knowledge incorporates quantities, distributions, and pathways of litter into the marine environment, highlighting where the impacts of marine litter are most felt in Africa. These impacts have widespread effects, with ecological, social, economic, and human health repercussions. While containing detailed scientific information, this book provides a sound knowledge base for policymakers, NGOs and the broader public.

Pollution & threats to the environment --- Waste management --- Hydrology & the hydrosphere --- Economics --- Oceanography (seas) --- Sustainability --- Africa --- Plastic and microplastic marine pollution --- Marine debris in Africa --- Impacts of marine litter --- Blue economy in Africa --- Marine litter sources --- Natural environment, people and economies

Choose an application

• Reference Manager
• EndNote
• RefWorks (Direct export to RefWorks)

In the last decade, issues related to pollution from microplastics in all environmental compartments and the associated health and environmental risks have been the focus of intense social, media, and political attention worldwide. The assessment, quantification, and study of the degradation processes of plastic debris in the ecosystem and its interaction with biota have been and are still the focus of intense multidisciplinary research. Plastic particles in the range from 1 to 5 mm and those in the sub-micrometer range are commonly denoted as microplastics and nanoplastics, respectively. Microplastics (MPs) are being recognized as nearly ubiquitous pollutants in water bodies, but their actual concentration, distribution, and effects on natural waters, sediments, and biota are still largely unknown. Contamination by microplastics of agricultural soil and other environmental areas is also becoming a matter of concern. Sampling, separation, detection, characterization and evaluating the degradation pathways of micro- and nano-plastic pollutants dispersed in the environment is a challenging and critical goal to understand their distribution, fate, and the related hazards for ecosystems. Given the interest in this topic, this Special Issue, entitled “Microplastics Degradation and Characterization”, is concerned with the latest developments in the study of microplastics.

Mathematics & science --- Chemistry --- Quantum & theoretical chemistry --- PEEK --- SIRM --- damage mechanisms --- GISAXS --- irradiation --- micro and nanoplastics --- freshwater --- sludge --- optical detection --- portable devices --- in situ detection --- microplastics --- marine sediment --- pet --- nylon 6 --- nylon 6,6 --- reversed-phase HPLC --- polyolefin --- polystyrene --- Pyr-GC/MS --- polymer degradation --- microparticles --- PLA --- PBS --- enzymes --- specificity --- thermal profile --- activation energy --- wastewater --- Raman spectroscopy --- laser speckle pattern --- transmittance --- sedimentation --- HDPE --- microbeads --- photocatalysis --- scavengers --- C,N-TiO2 --- remediation --- nanotechnology --- plastic pollution --- visible light photodegradation --- microplastic --- ratiometric detection --- no-wash fluorescent probe --- imaging --- one-pot reaction --- water remediation --- nanoplastic --- artificial ageing --- polyolefins --- polyethylene terephthalate --- microplastic fiber --- washing textile --- drying textile --- polyester yarn types --- microplastic extraction --- oil extraction --- density separation --- GC–MS --- mass spectrometry identification --- plastic polymers --- polyethylene --- terrestrial --- soil --- polymers --- geotechnics --- landfills --- geosynthetics --- GCL --- clay liner --- hydraulic conductivity --- plastics --- anthropogenic activities --- quantification --- marine --- multi-parametric platform --- bioplastics --- marine environment --- spectroscopy --- resin pellets --- nanoplastics --- microplastic detection and identification --- microplastic quantification --- food packaging --- particle release --- plastic consumption --- ecotoxicity assessment --- size influence --- concentration influence --- microplastic pellets --- weathering --- degradation --- Yellowness Index --- Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy --- persistent organic pollutants --- oxidative digestion --- Fenton’s reagent --- virgin --- aged --- SEM --- FTIR --- PAHs --- surface water --- chemical composition --- Ho Chi Minh City --- cement mortars --- municipal incinerated bottom ash --- PET pellets --- hydrogel --- potassium and sodium polyacrylate --- swelling --- physicochemical changes in the water --- polymeric nanoparticles --- Portugal --- resin --- pharmaceutical --- PVC --- paint --- wastewater treatment plant --- South China Sea --- pollution --- Py-GC/MS --- fragmentation and degradation --- mechanism

Choose an application

• Reference Manager
• EndNote
• RefWorks (Direct export to RefWorks)

This book collects the peer-reviewed contributions accepted for the publication in the Special Issue “Advances in In Situ Biological and Chemical Groundwater Treatment” of the MDPI journal Water. As such, the contributions refer to a variety of widespread pollutants (chlorinated ethenes, chlorinated phenols, chromium, copper, nickel, and arsenic phenols) and new remediation approaches (bioremediation, bioelectrochemical systems, and sorption), covering lab and field studies.

microplastic --- bioplastic --- chlorinated phenols --- sorption --- kinetics --- matrix effect --- arsenic --- phosphate --- competitive surface complexes --- release --- mobility --- remediation --- magnetite nanoparticles --- onion peel --- corn silk --- adsorption --- groundwater --- chlorinated solvents --- biological reductive dechlorination --- aerobic oxidation --- qPCR --- ethenotrophs --- methanotrophs --- bioelectrochemical systems (BESs) --- hexavalent chromium --- electrobioremediation --- groundwater treatment --- heavy metals --- carbon nanotubes --- adsorption mechanism

Choose an application

• Reference Manager
• EndNote
• RefWorks (Direct export to RefWorks)

This book is open access under a CC BY 4.0 license. This volume focuses on microscopic plastic debris, also referred to as microplastics, which have been detected in aquatic environments around the globe and have accordingly raised serious concerns. The book explores whether microplastics represent emerging contaminants in freshwater systems, an area that remains underrepresented to date. Given the complexity of the issue, the book covers the current state-of-research on microplastics in rivers and lakes, including analytical aspects, environmental concentrations and sources, modelling approaches, interactions with biota, and ecological implications. To provide a broader perspective, the book also discusses lessons learned from nanomaterials and the implications of plastic debris for regulation, politics, economy, and society. In a research field that is rapidly evolving, it offers a solid overview for environmental chemists, engineers, and toxicologists, as well as water managers and policy-makers.

Environment. --- Water quality. --- Water pollution. --- Analytical chemistry. --- Geochemistry. --- Environmental chemistry. --- Marine sciences. --- Freshwater. --- Environmental Chemistry. --- Water Quality/Water Pollution. --- Analytical Chemistry. --- Marine & Freshwater Sciences. --- Fresh waters --- Freshwater --- Freshwaters --- Inland water --- Inland waters --- Water --- Ocean sciences --- Aquatic sciences --- Chemistry, Environmental --- Chemistry --- Ecology --- Chemical composition of the earth --- Chemical geology --- Geological chemistry --- Geology, Chemical --- Earth sciences --- Analysis, Chemical --- Analytical chemistry --- Chemical analysis --- Metallurgical analysis --- Mineralogy, Determinative --- Aquatic pollution --- Fresh water --- Fresh water pollution --- Freshwater pollution --- Inland water pollution --- Lake pollution --- Lakes --- Reservoirs --- River pollution --- Rivers --- Stream pollution --- Water contamination --- Water pollutants --- Water pollution --- Pollution --- Waste disposal in rivers, lakes, etc. --- Freshwater quality --- Marine water quality --- Quality of water --- Seawater --- Seawater quality --- Environmental quality --- Quality --- Composition --- Analytical biochemistry. --- Marine Sciences. --- Analytic biochemistry --- Biochemistry --- Chemistry, Analytic --- Bioanalytic chemistry --- Bioanalytical chemistry --- Analytic chemistry --- Environmental Chemistry --- Water Quality/Water Pollution --- Geochemistry --- Analytical Chemistry --- Marine & Freshwater Sciences --- Emerging contaminants --- Plastic pollution --- Microplastic pollution --- Microplastic-associated biofilms --- Plastic contamination --- Open access --- Pollution & threats to the environment --- Water supply & treatment --- Limnology (inland waters) --- Water. --- Hydrology. --- Hydrography --- Hydrology