Chennai, Jan. 14 -- Highlights:

* Plastic use and microplastic pollution has risen alarmingly over the last few decades posing a major threat to humans and the environment since plastic takes several //hundred years to degrade

* To address the issue scientists have developed methods to accurately identify and quantify microplastic in any given sample, e.g. water, food, etc to gain a better understanding of the toxic effects of plastic

* The urgent need of the hour is to reduce the use of plastic to protect the environment drastically and towards this end, both manufacturers as well as consumers of plastic have to take responsibility

Following the recent global interest in the dangers posed by plastic pollution and curbing this menace,...