A Scientific Approach to the Occurrence, Isolation, and Characterization of Existing Microplastic Pollution in the Marine Environment-a Review

Microplastics constituting of particles less than 5 mm in size are inevitable in water, soil, and biota in recent years. They are either manufactured (primary) or are a result of the degradation of plastic litter which produces smaller particles (secondary). Considering the prevailing microplastics pollution, the current review focuses on the health hazards these tiny pollutants create and also the types, and sources of microplastics along with the problems associated with it. Collection of microplastics from water is undertaken employing plankton or Neuston nets often used for sampling with appropriate mesh size. Subsequently, microplastics are further processed through density separation or filtration which are dependent on the type of sample. The sample extracted are then analyzed through various spectroscopic methods like FTIR and Raman that are used for elemental analysis and thermal methods like DSC and Pyrolysis-GCMS studies are performed, to evaluate the type of microplastics and their quantification thereof.