Plastic pollution, particularly from micro and nano-plastics, has become a significant environmental threat, impacting ecosystems and human health due to their persistence, widespread presence, and contributions to an increasing global plastic footprint. Conventional methods face limitations in addressing this issue, but nanobiotechnology offers innovative and sustainable solutions. This chapter examines how nanotechnology and biotechnology can be combined to create advanced tools for the detection, mitigation, and removal of plastic pollutants in air, water, and soil, ultimately reducing the overall plastic footprint. Nanomaterials, such as nanoparticles, nanocomposites, and functionalized nanostructures, enhance the sensitivity of detection, accelerate degradation, and improve filtration. For example, nanosensors enable real-time monitoring of plastic particles in various environments, while functionalized nanoparticles facilitate targeted adsorption and removal of microplastics. Moreover, bioengineered microorganisms and enzyme-immobilized nanoparticles represent novel remediation techniques for breaking down plastics directly within the environment, helping to offset the long-term accumulation of plastics. These strategies not only mitigate immediate pollution but also contribute to a systematic reduction in the total plastic footprint by promoting sustainable cycles of plastic degradation and reuse. By leveraging the unique capabilities of nanomaterials and the precision of biological systems, nanobiotechnology holds the potential to significantly reduce environmental and health risks while advancing global sustainability goals. The future of this field will depend on interdisciplinary research and technological innovation to overcome existing challenges and scale up these solutions for widespread global impact.

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Nanobiotechnology for Reducing Plastic Footprint and Combatting Micro and Nano-plastic Pollution

  • Abhishek Gupta,
  • John Majok Manyok Thuch,
  • Vranda Aggarwal,
  • Palak Sharma

摘要

Plastic pollution, particularly from micro and nano-plastics, has become a significant environmental threat, impacting ecosystems and human health due to their persistence, widespread presence, and contributions to an increasing global plastic footprint. Conventional methods face limitations in addressing this issue, but nanobiotechnology offers innovative and sustainable solutions. This chapter examines how nanotechnology and biotechnology can be combined to create advanced tools for the detection, mitigation, and removal of plastic pollutants in air, water, and soil, ultimately reducing the overall plastic footprint. Nanomaterials, such as nanoparticles, nanocomposites, and functionalized nanostructures, enhance the sensitivity of detection, accelerate degradation, and improve filtration. For example, nanosensors enable real-time monitoring of plastic particles in various environments, while functionalized nanoparticles facilitate targeted adsorption and removal of microplastics. Moreover, bioengineered microorganisms and enzyme-immobilized nanoparticles represent novel remediation techniques for breaking down plastics directly within the environment, helping to offset the long-term accumulation of plastics. These strategies not only mitigate immediate pollution but also contribute to a systematic reduction in the total plastic footprint by promoting sustainable cycles of plastic degradation and reuse. By leveraging the unique capabilities of nanomaterials and the precision of biological systems, nanobiotechnology holds the potential to significantly reduce environmental and health risks while advancing global sustainability goals. The future of this field will depend on interdisciplinary research and technological innovation to overcome existing challenges and scale up these solutions for widespread global impact.