sidewalks and lawns, bringing along the particles, dirt, and various pollutants. In
many countries, the polluted water runoff is the greatest threat to the supply of fresh
water (Wu et al. 2018).
2.1.7 Sources of Plastic Contamination in the Ecosystems
Terrestrial
Most plastic contamination from the terrestrial areas is due to the human activities.
Plastics on land may come from the open landfills, wastes from houses, debris by
blown wind, plastic bags and boxes. These are macroplastics which upon degradation will release smaller particles into the ecosystem.
In marine ecosystem, 80% of the plastic wastes come from the land populated by
humans, or with plastic industries, and with high plastic consumptions. Most of
the drifting and stranded plastic flotsam and jetsam, may come from the beach front,
and the recreational activities, especially in the northern part of South China Sea.
Substantial amounts of trash from the crude assembling wastes are shifted to the
shorelines with inadvertent leakages. Others come from the wastewater and site
leachate. Plastics from the sources also enter the stream networks and may reach the
household, even with the water purification in place, through other indirect means.
The climate and weather changes from typhoons could transfer the wastes and
pollutants into the ocean. The small-scale plastic contaminants in Californian aquatic
ecosystem has been found to increase from 10 to 60 particles (Li et al. 2016), as
aresult of these rapid changes in the ecosystem.
Other sources of pollutants may come from indiscriminate dumping of garbages
in the municipalities and residential areas, which are released through downpours,
floods, or wind (Sheavly and Register 2007).
Aquatic
Rivers transport 70–80% of the plastic wastes or discharged from the fertilizer
factories and wastewater treatment plants. Marine plastics may originate from the
Table 2.4 Comparison of the point and non-point sources
Point sources
Non-point sources
Pollutants from municipal and industries
Filtrate from waste management areas
Runoff from animal farms
Waste from oil fields
Population from sewage waste
Waste from construction areas
Effluents from agricultural fields
Waste from pastures
Waste from drained localities or may be undrained
Pollutants from deserted mines
Different activities of land that produce contaminants
Modified from Wu and Chen (2013)
2 Identification and Remediation of Plastics as Water Contaminant
61
many countries, the polluted water runoff is the greatest threat to the supply of fresh
water (Wu et al. 2018).
2.1.7 Sources of Plastic Contamination in the Ecosystems
Terrestrial
Most plastic contamination from the terrestrial areas is due to the human activities.
Plastics on land may come from the open landfills, wastes from houses, debris by
blown wind, plastic bags and boxes. These are macroplastics which upon degradation will release smaller particles into the ecosystem.
In marine ecosystem, 80% of the plastic wastes come from the land populated by
humans, or with plastic industries, and with high plastic consumptions. Most of
the drifting and stranded plastic flotsam and jetsam, may come from the beach front,
and the recreational activities, especially in the northern part of South China Sea.
Substantial amounts of trash from the crude assembling wastes are shifted to the
shorelines with inadvertent leakages. Others come from the wastewater and site
leachate. Plastics from the sources also enter the stream networks and may reach the
household, even with the water purification in place, through other indirect means.
The climate and weather changes from typhoons could transfer the wastes and
pollutants into the ocean. The small-scale plastic contaminants in Californian aquatic
ecosystem has been found to increase from 10 to 60 particles (Li et al. 2016), as
aresult of these rapid changes in the ecosystem.
Other sources of pollutants may come from indiscriminate dumping of garbages
in the municipalities and residential areas, which are released through downpours,
floods, or wind (Sheavly and Register 2007).
Aquatic
Rivers transport 70–80% of the plastic wastes or discharged from the fertilizer
factories and wastewater treatment plants. Marine plastics may originate from the
Table 2.4 Comparison of the point and non-point sources
Point sources
Non-point sources
Pollutants from municipal and industries
Filtrate from waste management areas
Runoff from animal farms
Waste from oil fields
Population from sewage waste
Waste from construction areas
Effluents from agricultural fields
Waste from pastures
Waste from drained localities or may be undrained
Pollutants from deserted mines
Different activities of land that produce contaminants
Modified from Wu and Chen (2013)
2 Identification and Remediation of Plastics as Water Contaminant
61