automobile, and electronics together makeup the largest sectors that almost require
70% of the world’s plastic (Dang et al. 2018). In Europe, packaging constitutes one
third of the plastic demand annually. Only 10% or less of the plastic is reprocessed;
the remaining plastics are sent to landfills or burnt (Thevenon and Carroll 2015).
Plastics are the most severe and major causes of environmental pollution that have
been evident by the present research conducted around the globe.
Water is a universal solvent; almost all the biological and chemical reactions
within the body of living organisms need water. Up to 60% of the adult human body
is water. We cannot survive without water for a longer duration; however, we can
somehow manage to live without food for a longer period of time as compared to
water. The survival of biological species in the biosphere is impossible without the
availability of water. Agricultural and industrial progress are vital for economic
growth; however, poor water supplies, water scarcity, or polluted water can lead to
serious economic challenges such as poor infrastructure development, low income
per capita, and other factors that hinder and affect grand domestic product of a state
facing these problems that resulted just because of water pollution (Lamb et al.
2018). It has been well estimated that two-thirds of the surface of planet Earth is
covered by water while the remaining is land. Oceans make up 98% of the total water
of the globe which cannot be used for drinking purposes without treatments such as
filtration at water filtration facilities which no doubt cost a lot to fulfil the growing
demand of population. Today, as much as 40% of our seas are intensely affected by
human activities. Fresh water constitutes about 2% of the total water available on
earth. This water, however, is still limited to only 0.4% in freely usable form as the
rest 1.6% is locked as glaciers and polar ice caps, which are beyond our access to use
which indicates us for a dark future if we don’t save these water resources. Today,
human activities such as plastic pollution have intensely affected as much as 40% of
our seas and oceans.
Pollution caused by plastics in the world’s oceans is at record levels and it is
rising to an alarming level day by day. If urgent action is not taken, the problem will
become progressively more dangerous over the coming years. Plastic litter is already
damaging many aquatic species and may probably have an impact on human health
in ways we do not yet fully understand (Villarrubia-Gómez et al. 2018). The initial
scientific articles highlighting the plastic pollution in our seas and oceans first
appeared in 1969, which discussed the presence of plastics in the bodies of seabirds
and other marine species (Pietrelli et al. 2018).
3.2 Water Pollution
Water pollution means that one or more substances have built up or exceeded their
normal levels in water such that they can cause problems for aquatic organisms,
animals, plants, and human beings (Mrowiec 2017). Plastics have been located
3 Remediation of Water Pollution by Plastics
91
70% of the world’s plastic (Dang et al. 2018). In Europe, packaging constitutes one
third of the plastic demand annually. Only 10% or less of the plastic is reprocessed;
the remaining plastics are sent to landfills or burnt (Thevenon and Carroll 2015).
Plastics are the most severe and major causes of environmental pollution that have
been evident by the present research conducted around the globe.
Water is a universal solvent; almost all the biological and chemical reactions
within the body of living organisms need water. Up to 60% of the adult human body
is water. We cannot survive without water for a longer duration; however, we can
somehow manage to live without food for a longer period of time as compared to
water. The survival of biological species in the biosphere is impossible without the
availability of water. Agricultural and industrial progress are vital for economic
growth; however, poor water supplies, water scarcity, or polluted water can lead to
serious economic challenges such as poor infrastructure development, low income
per capita, and other factors that hinder and affect grand domestic product of a state
facing these problems that resulted just because of water pollution (Lamb et al.
2018). It has been well estimated that two-thirds of the surface of planet Earth is
covered by water while the remaining is land. Oceans make up 98% of the total water
of the globe which cannot be used for drinking purposes without treatments such as
filtration at water filtration facilities which no doubt cost a lot to fulfil the growing
demand of population. Today, as much as 40% of our seas are intensely affected by
human activities. Fresh water constitutes about 2% of the total water available on
earth. This water, however, is still limited to only 0.4% in freely usable form as the
rest 1.6% is locked as glaciers and polar ice caps, which are beyond our access to use
which indicates us for a dark future if we don’t save these water resources. Today,
human activities such as plastic pollution have intensely affected as much as 40% of
our seas and oceans.
Pollution caused by plastics in the world’s oceans is at record levels and it is
rising to an alarming level day by day. If urgent action is not taken, the problem will
become progressively more dangerous over the coming years. Plastic litter is already
damaging many aquatic species and may probably have an impact on human health
in ways we do not yet fully understand (Villarrubia-Gómez et al. 2018). The initial
scientific articles highlighting the plastic pollution in our seas and oceans first
appeared in 1969, which discussed the presence of plastics in the bodies of seabirds
and other marine species (Pietrelli et al. 2018).
3.2 Water Pollution
Water pollution means that one or more substances have built up or exceeded their
normal levels in water such that they can cause problems for aquatic organisms,
animals, plants, and human beings (Mrowiec 2017). Plastics have been located
3 Remediation of Water Pollution by Plastics
91