Collection, Detection, Identification, and Estimation of Microplastic from the Marine Environment: An Overview

Microplastic (≤5 mm) is one of the potential pollutants in the marine environment. It leads to various health issues in marine biota. The microplastic pollution is increasing exponentially in all the zones of the biosphere. Microplastic is reported in seawater and sea sediments. Microplastic is reported to enter food chain, and consumption of the seafood is becoming risky day by day. Microplastic has not only spread throughout the aquatic environment, but also reported in sea ice. In the present chapter, an attempt was made to overview the methods currently used for collecting, detecting, identifying, and estimating microplastics from the marine environment under the following lines: (1) to discuss the techniques used to collect, detect, identify, and estimate the microplastic, (2) to enlist the methods used to detect the microplastic pollution in the marine environment, (3) to highlight techniques used to identify and estimate different types of the microplastic, and (4) to discuss some of the important reports of microplastic pollution in the marine environment.