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Microplastic to Accumulate Microbial Pathogens in the Terrestrial Environment

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Microplastic Pollution

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Abstract

Plastics have gradually become one of the most ubiquitous household materials in the modern world. Although already infamously known to pollute the environment due to their persistence, plastics are gradually raising further concerns as and when they result in the release of microplastics in both aquatic and terrestrial environments. The hydrophobic surfaces of these microplastics act as a suitable cradle for generation and colonization of microbial biofilms. The current chapter brings an insight into the various sources of these microplastics, the major constituents of the so-called “plastisphere,” and how the pathogenic members of these plastispheres pose a threat to mankind, as well as various factors influencing the growth of microbes on microplastics.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to acknowledge the Faculty of Doctoral Studies and Research, RK University, and the managment of Charotar University of Science and Technology for their kind support during the preparation of the chapter. The authors are also thankful to the editors and reviewers for their feedback and suggestions in modifying the contents of the chapter.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Microbiology, School of Science, RK University, Rajkot, Gujarat, India

    Hetvi Kanojia, Harsh Purohit, Madhvi Joshi & Jignesh H. Kamdar

  2. Department of Biological Sciences, PD Patel Insitute of Applied Sciences, Charotar University of Science and Technology, Changa, Anand, Gujarat, India

    Joydeep Chakraborty

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  1. Hetvi Kanojia
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  2. Harsh Purohit
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Correspondence to Joydeep Chakraborty .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Botany University of Ladakh, Kargil Campus, Khumbathang Ladakh UT, India and Biofuels Institute, School of the Environment and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China

    Mohd. Shahnawaz

  2. Applied Microbiology, Biotechnology and Nanotechnology Laboratory, Department of Microbiology, Edo State University Uzairue, Iyamho, Nigeria

    Charles Oluwaseun Adetunji

  3. Biofuels Institute, School of the Environment and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China

    Mudasir Ahmad Dar

  4. Biofuel’s Institute, School of Environment and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China

    Daochen Zhu

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Kanojia, H., Purohit, H., Joshi, M., Kamdar, J.H., Chakraborty, J. (2024). Microplastic to Accumulate Microbial Pathogens in the Terrestrial Environment. In: Shahnawaz, M., Adetunji, C.O., Dar, M.A., Zhu, D. (eds) Microplastic Pollution. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-99-8357-5_20

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