We all see microplastics on beaches or on the streets, but either we don't pay attention, or we have gotten used to them, or we don't know what they are. Initially, we thought that microplastics are small pieces of plastic - smaller than 5 millimeters - that we can see with the naked eye.

However, as analytical techniques evolve, we understand more and more that there are microplastics that are not visible to the naked eye and which constitute the majority of microplastics in the environment. The situation is thus proven to be much worse than we thought. Microplastics have been found everywhere on our planet, from Arctic snow and alpine soils to the most remote islands and the deepest oceans. Over 700 species interact with microplastics found in the environment, either because they mistake them for food or because they don't see them. It is also known that humans consume them - through food and water - and inhale them. And while the potential impacts on human health are known, the exact effects cannot be determined with certainty, as it is a multifactorial problem. This book examines how microplastics are formed, when and how they entered our lives, what substances and microorganisms they carry with them, how they end up in the environment, and how they are distributed everywhere. There are alternatives and what can each of us do and all of us together? Is it a real problem? If yes, is there a solution?