**3.8 Packaging material and litter**

Higher preference is given to packaging materials as a source of microplastics. It contributes to about 62% of all plastic collected. It usually involves secondary microplastics. Plastic bags, soft drink bottles all culminates into it [1]. Packaging materials constitutes major portion of litter. Toys, cutlery, shoes, clothing are other forms of litter [15]. Litter from agricultural plastics is non-biodegradable, although biodegradable plastics are also prevalent nowadays. Addition of preservatives in such plastics make them less biodegradable, and these plastics get perished into smaller fragments, eventually via nearby streams microplastics enters surface water [1].

#### **3.9 Domestic items, food stuffs and toys**

According to United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), 2014 [15], domestic items are considered as the mighty source of pollution in the sea. Items like cups, plastic cutlery, bottles and straws are present in abundance in oceans.

**233**

these plastic wastes.

*Sources, Fate, and Impact of Microplastics in Aquatic Environment*

Food stuffs and snacks also contribute to microplastics. Chewing gum contains microplastics fillers. A study done at Dutch coast revealed the presence of 105 particles of microplastics per gram in mussels and for oyster it reaches up to 87 microplastics particles per gram [37]. Party items like balloons, confetti firework wastes, fragments of toys all culminate to waterborne litter. Loom bracelets contain

microplastics which can adulterate the environment via surface runoff [38].

In medical sector, microplastics are profoundly used [23]. Microplastics treat the reverse flow of gastric juices. Aluminum coated compounds tend to possess deleterious effect on human health. They are replaced by microplastics. Nappies, sanitary towels, plasters constitute litter. Capsules used in the edicine field contain plastic. Spectacles, contact lenses are one of the define sources of microplastics [1].

The pollution of microplastics varies geographically with location because as the consumption of plastic increases, there is increase in production of MP. Marine life is more disturbed by this plastic waste because ocean become a dump yard for running water system either directly via riverine system as river ultimately end up meet up with the ocean or indirectly as waste water treatment plant dispose of their waste directly in the ocean or in river which end up by meeting the marine water body. However, the size of sediment and distribution of MP is influenced by oxidative degradation (either photo- or thermal initiated), friction and biodegradation [39, 40]. The typical shape of microplastics consists of pellets, fibers and fragments but according to literature, majority of microplastics in Oceans are microfibers [41, 42]. Distribution and abundance of microplastics is chiefly determined by environmental [42–44] and anthropogenic factors [45]. Environmental factors include runoff, infiltration, river discharge, wind action, ocean currents, cyclones, river hydrodynamics, wave current, tides and movement/dispersion of animals. On the other hand, anthropogenic activities either they are for industrial or tourism or transport purpose which further led to accumulation of plastic debris in environment. According to literature, these environmental factors play vital role in determining the distribution of microplastics more intensely than anthropogenic activities, however anthropogenic activities are the core source of production of

Abundance of microplastics in oceans distribute across various strata of Ocean. In the sediments- water systems, microplastics only sink and accumulate in the

float on the sea surface or in the water column [46], hence low density microplastics float on surface layer of ocean water whereas high density microplastics sinks down to benthos layer [5]. Buoyancy of microplastics can depend on befouling in which former biomass accumulation led to increase in microplastics density and later can decrease microplastics density which is responsible for sinking, neutral or floating action of microplastics. But in case of High density microplastics, there distribution depends on other factors also like change in tidal fronts, high flow rates or larger

Beaches are a reservoir of highly fragmented plastic debris that transport microplastics back to costal water and finally to open ocean [47]. It is based on observation of Wang et al. [48] that concentration of microplastics is usually higher in upper layer i.e. epipelagic layer than the immediate lower mesopelagic

); otherwise it tends to

sediment when their density exceed seawater (>1.02 g/cm3

surface area of High density microplastics.

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.93805*

**4. Microplastics in marine ecosystems**

**3.10 Medical resources**

Food stuffs and snacks also contribute to microplastics. Chewing gum contains microplastics fillers. A study done at Dutch coast revealed the presence of 105 particles of microplastics per gram in mussels and for oyster it reaches up to 87 microplastics particles per gram [37]. Party items like balloons, confetti firework wastes, fragments of toys all culminate to waterborne litter. Loom bracelets contain microplastics which can adulterate the environment via surface runoff [38].
