Microplastic, A Macro Problem
Title: Microplastic, A Macro Problem Background: Plastic, due to its durability, are considered as one of the greatest creation of mankind. It is synthetic polymer made of chemicals that are generally derived from natural resources, including oil, petroleum and coal. While many plastics are hydrocarbons that consist of carbon and hydrogen only, some do contain other elements such as oxygen, chlorine, fluorine, nitrogen, sulphur etc. It is commonly found in our everyday lives, ranging from plastic bottles and drinking straws to grocery bags. Worldwide, about 2 million plastic bags are used every minute. However, given their pervasive and persistent nature, microplastics tend to remain in the environment for decades and even centuries. Eventually, they are degraded into smaller and smaller pieces, known as microplastics that are of growing concern. Credit: OCEANA Introduction: Microplastics, as suggested by the name, are small plastic fragments which are less than 5mm in diameter. They a...