Preface

Worldwide, more than 400 million tons of plastic are produced annually. These plastics break down into small particles and those with a length of < 5 mm are called microplastics (MPs). The World Health Organization (WHO) has identified MPs as an emergency pollutant for the environment and human health. MPs hold toxic chemicals (such as plasticizers and colorings) that are used as ingredients during the polymerization process. Moreover, MPs act as transport vectors of other hazardous substances (pesticides, heavy metals, and biofouling), which can accumulate in the environment and induce toxicity to biodiversity. In addition to the inhalation of MPs, their existence in drinks and foods is the main pathway for entering the human body. The accumulation of MPs in the human body places people at risk for respiratory problems, cytotoxicity, and inflammatory as well as autoimmune illnesses. Therefore, it is crucial to identify the safest and most effective strategies for removing MPs from the environment. This book provides a comprehensive summary of MPs and discusses advances and challenges in removing them from our environment.

We would like to express our gratitude to all the contributing authors. We also wish to thank the publishing process manager at IntechOpen for being generously helpful.

> **El-Sayed Salama** Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
