PLASTIC POLLUTION IN THE GLOBAL OCEAN

Plastic pollution is a growing environmental problem that is attracting increasing interest across society, from academics to the general public. A significant factor in the wide public interest in plastics is its visibility; present throughout urban and rural environments, washing up on beaches and even visible from space. However, 'invisible' microplastics and nanoplastics are also an issue. With growing plastic production and usage, plastic waste within the environment will continue to increase. This increased input along with its persistence leads to accumulation and increasing ecosystem exposure, with as-yet unknown consequences.

This book brings together a collection of chapters written by world-leading experts in environmental plastic pollution inputs, fate, effects and solutions. It provides an accessible overview of the current scientific understanding, future implications and key considerations for the management and mitigation of plastic waste within the global ocean.

Contents:

• Introduction: Plastic Pollution in the Global Ocean (Alice A Horton)
• The History and Future of Plastics (Rachael Rothman and Anthony J Ryan)
• Overcoming Oceans of Ignorance: What You Should Know About Plastic Waste Before It Enters the Sea (Yvette Mellink, Louise Schreyers, Rahel Hauk, Rose Pinto, Khoa Thi, Kryss Waldschläger and Tim van Emmerik)
• Transport of Plastics Within the World's Oceans (Alethea Mountford)
• Plastic Pollution and Marine Megafauna: Recent Advances and Future Directions (Sarah E Nelms, Bethany L Clark, Emily M Duncan, Elitza Germanov, Brendan J Godley, Kristian J Parton, Christopher K Pham and Yasmina Rodríguez)
• Microplastics in the Marine Environment — An Introduction (Thijs Bosker and Laura J Zantis)
• Interactions and Effects of Microplastics on Marine Invertebrates (Xiaoxia Sun, Shan Zheng, Qingjie Li and Kangning Zhang)
• Ecotoxicity of Micro- and Nano-Sized Plastics (Shima Ziajahromi and Frederic D L Leusch)
• Plastic Pollution in the Arctic Marine Environment (Hollie L Ball and Crispin Halsall)
• Plastic Pollution in Antarctica and the Southern Ocean (Jack W Buckingham, Rebecca H Peel, Emily Rowlands and Daniel R Wilson)
• Current Research on Microbe — Plastic Interactions in the Marine Environment (Mira Latva, Vinko Zadjelovic and Robyn J Wright)
• A Review of Biodegradable Plastics from Multidisciplinary Perspectives (Winnie Courtene-Jones, Francesca De Falco and Imogen E Napper)
• Solutions, Approaches and Mitigation Strategies for Plastic Waste Management (Eamonn McGuinty and Tony R Walker)

Readership: Recommended for undergraduate and postgraduate students in biology, chemistry, physics, environmental science, ecology, geography, earth sciences. Also useful for postgraduates through to professors and academic researchers.

Key Features:

• The field of plastic pollution research is moving incredibly quickly, and there is a need for an accessible, up to date and comprehensive volume which draws together key state-of-the-art knowledge and research
• While the scientific literature is rapidly growing, these publications are often targeted at those with very specific expertise, and it can be difficult for researchers to determine which are the most pertinent and high quality, without sifting through large volumes of information. This book will enable synthesis and presentation of current and relevant information in a logical and manageable structure which can be used as a reference text for undergraduates through to experienced academics who wish to learn more on the subject, in addition to policymakers, regulators and industries who have a stake in better understanding, addressing and tackling the issue of plastic waste within the environment