Course Description

Plastics are pervasive in modern society due to their durability, lightweight nature, and low cost. However, their persistence in the environment has led to widespread aquatic pollution. Rivers, lakes, and oceans now accumulate vast quantities of plastics, including macroplastics, visible to the naked eye, and microplastics, smaller than five millimeters. Primary sources include industrial discharge, urban runoff, and domestic waste, while secondary sources arise from fragmentation of larger items. Unlike natural materials, plastics degrade very slowly, persisting for decades and interacting with other pollutants, such as heavy metals and persistent organic pollutants, amplifying ecological risks. Studying plastics pollution in aquatic environments is essential to understand their impact on ecosystem health and to design effective mitigation strategies.

What you'll learn in this course?

• Understand the sources and types of plastics contributing to aquatic pollution.

• Explain the chemical additives in plastics and their toxicological implications.

• Evaluate the pathways through which plastics affect aquatic organisms.

• Identify acute and chronic effects of plastics-derived chemicals on aquatic life.

• Recognize bioaccumulation and biomagnification processes in aquatic food chains.

• Apply risk assessment approaches for chemical toxicity in water bodies.

• Discuss mitigation strategies and regulatory frameworks for plastics pollution.

Prerequisites

• Basic understanding of environmental engineering, aquatic ecology, or toxicology

• Familiarity with plastics, water pollution, and food-chain concepts is helpful