Journal of Hazardous Materials Advances 6 (2022) 100063

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Journal of Hazardous Materials Advances

journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/hazadv

Micro/nano glass pollution as an emerging pollutant in near future

Sonu Kumari1, Swati Agarwal1, Suphiya Khan∗
Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Banasthali Vidyapith, Banasthali Tonk, Rajasthan 304022, India

a r t i c l e i n f o a b s t r a c t

Keywords: Global increasing application of nanomaterials and their natural formation from complex materials is considered
Micro/nanoglass a major concern. Glass contamination didn’t get attention until now regarding its micro and nano size. Presently,
Pollution like all commodities, glass is overused and produces waste in amounts of millions of tons per year. However, the
Contamination
major concern is that the recycling of glass is way less as compared to the glass manufactured; that is just 14 of total
Recycling
glass produced worldwide. Therefore, there is an urgent need for research on possible glass particles breakage
into nano and micro-sized glass materials and their accumulation in the environment. Present review intends
to cover a wide-range summary of the existing state of information in field of possible degradation, recycling,
formation and possible fate of micro/nano glass in environment. It also covers the possible theoretical problems
related with glass contamination in the aquatic surroundings with discussion of current research gaps. Other than
this, the probable effects of micro/nano glass on the soil ecosystem and its interaction with plant and its possible
movement in food chain. Our mechanistic outline serves to channel current and future research on this urgent
theme.

Introduction
We live in an era where our environment gets contaminated with
several new micro/nano-contaminants such as nano-materials, compos-
ites, plastics, fibers and glass. Micro/nano size contaminants are con-
sidered much harmful in comparison to macro pollutants due their size
(Waring et al., 2018). Nanoparticles are ultra-small particles with excep-
tional properties, but some nanoparticles and nanomaterials may exhibit
harmful properties when leaked into the environment. Due to the lack
of analytical methods for the detection and analysis of nanoparticles in
complex matrices, not much is known about the potential risks associ-
ated with nanomaterials. The small size particles can get easily mixed
with environment and move through our food or water cycle. It was re-
ported that materials of 300 nm or less in diameter can be taken up by in-
dividual human cells (Garnett and Kallinteri, 2006), and nanomaterials
less than 70 nm can even be taken up by a cell’s nuclei, where they can
cause major damage (Chen and von Mikecz, 2005; Geiser et al., 2005).
Glass contamination didn’t get attention until now, but the use of
glass is increasing day by day and in result their disposal also gets in-
creased. Nowadays nano/micro-plastic pollution gets enormous atten-
tion between scientists and researchers. Plastic and glass both the pol-
lutions are considered worst in current situation. As glass is endlessly
recyclable and never lost its quality and purity no matter how many
times it recycled (Luczak, 2020). However, glass has different problems,
∗
Corresponding author.
E-mail address: suphiyakhan@gmail.com (S. Khan).
1
Equal Contribution.
starts with its manufacturing, transport, usage, recycling and dumping.
For glass manufacturing special kind of sand is used (mainly sand from
riverbed and seabed not desert sand), which ultimately leads to shore
communities open to flooding and erosion (Gavriletea, 2017). It was
reported that every year 50 billion tons of sea or river sand is used to
manufacture glass worldwide that is twice the amount produced by ev-
ery river in the world (Peduzzi, 2014). From raw material harvesting to
transport and making glass the overall process require labor and energy
cost.
During transport glass requires many precautions due to its break-
able nature, which increases the cost of transport as compared to plastic.
America recycles about 33 % of glass while per year 10 million metric
tons of glass is disposed off due to several reasons (Tucker et al., 2018).
As not every glass can be recycled; some glasses contain hazardous ma-
terial in their components that can’t be separated from them while recy-
cling (Andreola et al., 2007). Other than this, windows and pyrex bake-
ware are not recyclable due to the way they manufacture to withstand
high temperature (Axinte, 2011). Also, the process of glass recycling is
very costly and not environment friendly, it emits lots of CO2 during
melting the glass. Taking this in point crushing the glass and used it
in land-filling is considered a much cheaper option. However, glass can
take one million years to decompose and in land-filling this duration
can be much extended (Abdallah, 2009).
In the year 2018, glass sector processed recycling of approximately
27 million metric tons of glass globally, which stands for almost 21 per-
cent of the entire glass manufactured worldwide (Tiseo, 2019). It is re-

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hazadv.2022.100063
Received 3 February 2022; Received in revised form 7 March 2022; Accepted 10 March 2022
2772-4166/© 2022 Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)
S. Kumari, S. Agarwal and S. Khan
ported that glass can be originated from natural or artificial sources
(Fig. 1). The contamination of glass in environment can be occurred
through routes: intentionally, via illegal discarding of glass waste; and
unintentionally, via inadequately contained stationary and transported
waste. However, the major concern is that glass particles might slowly
convert into smaller fragments (physical damage), such as nano (nano-
glass) and micro-sized (microglass) particles. And the glass powders
with a particle size of less than 1 𝜇m, which are also named nano-
glasses, comprise SiO2 and/or B2 O3 and/or P2 O5 as network formers
(Karmakar et al., 2016). Glass weathering occur naturally in environ-
ment, depends on several factors’ such as temperature, the availability of
weathering fluids and the reactive mineral surface area (Lasaga, 1984).
Glass weathering neutralizes CO2 emissions from the crust and man-
tle by producing alkalinity, thereby driving precipitation of carbonates,
silicates and other minerals in the oceans (Berner et al., 1983).
There are several studies conducted on silica or silicates
(even nano/micro silica particles) and their effect on plants
(Abdel-Haliem et al., 2017; Kalteh et al., 2018), marine animals
(Simpson et al., 1985; Neff et al., 2000) and on higher animals
(Wu et al., 2008; Kusaka et al., 2014). A study on the uptake of silica
source by maize seeds was conducted under hydroponic conditions
and pot experiments supplemented with nano-SiO2 (20–40 nm). Seeds
after different silica source treatments were analyzed with regard to
germination percentage, elemental analysis, and root growth parame-
ters to investigate the efficiency of nano-SiO2 . Their study concludes
Nano-SiO2 promotes seed coat resistance and improves the nutritional
availability to maize plants (Suriyaprabha et al., 2012). One of the other
studies conducted on the use of nanosilica to improve plant growth
by reducing the accumulation of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) and
membrane lipid peroxidation. It is known to restrict the entry of sodium
ions and other heavy metals in plants (Mathur and Roy, 2020). Little
research has also been conducted on nano-calcium carbonate in plant
protection and nutrition. Nano-calcium yielded better overall results
than colloidal calcium for fertilization, plant protection, and pest
control (Hua et al., 2015).
All the above studies conducted on basically mineral silicates and
carbonate nanoparticles but there are no such studies were conducted
for glass particles (micro/nano-glass) and their effect on plant or an-
imals. Glass not only composed of silica, it’s a mixture of different
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Journal of Hazardous Materials Advances 6 (2022) 100063
Fig. 1. Global glass production (in Mio Tons) from
2005 to 2018.
carbonates, silicates, borates, calcium, magnesium with several other
heavy metals such as lead, copper, iron, tin etc. Thus, in-depth stud-
ies are required to determine the presence of micro/nano glass (with
their components) in marine and terrestrial environments (Fig. 2). A
key factor that can contribute to the glass toxicity is the ingestion of
this micro/nano glass by marine lives and its transfer in the food web.
Such pollution can result in a number of deleterious repercussions. As
micro/nano size contaminants are much more harmful in comparison
to macro pollutants due their size. The small size particles can get
easily mixed with environment and move through our food or water
cycle.
The purpose of the review is to discuss the topics of degradation and
recycling of glass along with possible micro/nano glass fate in terres-
trial and wastewater systems, including possible movement routes and
identification of knowledge gaps along with areas where further investi-
gations are needed. Our hypothesis constitutes the first empirically and
conceptually-driven framework to explain the potential impacts of nano
glass in a soil and plant system. This hypothesis can thus point to the
directions of future (and more specific) mechanistic research.
Glass composition and its properties
By definition, glass is referred to any amorphous transparent or
translucent material that is comprised of a mixture of silicates and
was inherently produced by fusion and eventual solidification from
the molten state (of these silicates) in the absence of crystallization
(Mysen and Richet, 2018). The main constituent in glass is silicate (or
from an elemental viewpoint, silicon) and for commercial glass manu-
facturing source, most utilized to acquire the silicate backbone is sand
(SiO2 ). Typically, other oxides are added during the manufacturing of
glass such as lime (CaO), soda ash (Na2 O), and potash (K2 O) which as-
sist with reducing key (and economical) factors like the melting point
of SiO2 and viscosity (Naes, 2009). Other raw materials (including recy-
cled materials) are added for various reasons depending on the desired
finished product such as lead oxide (PbO) to increase refractivity, boron
oxide (B2 O3 ) to lower thermal expansion and create borosilicate glass.
Aluminum oxide (Al2 O3 ) is also used to increase durability, as well as
various coloring (or decolorizing) agents, oxidizing (or reducing) agents,
etc.
S. Kumari, S. Agarwal and S. Khan Journal of Hazardous Materials Advances 6 (2022) 100063

Fig. 2. Micro/nano glass interaction with different en-

vironmental communities.

Table 1
Chemical composition of waste glass powder using XRF (Galvao et al. 2015).

Oxides SiO2 CaO Na2 O MgO ZrO2 Al2 O3 K2 O Fe2 O3 SO2 IO3 TiO2 SnO2 P2 O5
Percentage 59.24 20.43 10.71 3.96 3.41 1.15 0.55 0.21 0.20 0.05 0.02 0.01 0.00

Table 2
Some commercially available glass types, composition and their applications.

Chemical
Glass types composition Melting point Products

Flat Glass/Sheets/Cast
Containers
Crystals/Lead Glass
Continuous filaments/Glass
fibers
Special Glass/Optical Glass
MgO and NaO 1200°C Windows, glass doors, transparent walls, windscreens, architectural and automotive applications
SiO2 , Al2 O3 and CaO 1400°C -1600°C Bottle, jars, drink ware, pitchers, vases and bowls
PbO 800°C -1000°C Drinking glasses, ornaments, decanters, jewelry, optical lenses, enamels, lacquers, glass sealants,
solders, radiation shielding from gamma and x-rays
SiO2 >1600°C Used as a reinforcing agent for many polymer products; to form a very strong and relatively
lightweight fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composite material called glass-reinforced plastic (GRP).
It has biomedical applications in the assistance of joint replacement
K2 O ∼557°C Electric bulbs, lenses of telescopes, microscopes, camera and prisms

Several analytical methods exist for determining the elemental
composition of glass, including inductively coupled plasma mass
spectrometry (ICP-MS), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), scanning electron
microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS),
and laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry
(LA-ICP-MS), each of which has its advantages and disadvantages
(Jochum et al., 2011). Hickman in 1986, who used ICPAES to deter-
mine the concentrations of Mg, Ba, Mn, Fe, Al and Sr for a glass sam-
ple set/database of 1350 samples (Naes, 2009). Galvao and his cowork-
ers uses waste glass pieces to construct filler in composite material as
thermal insulation (2015). They have used mortar pestle to make fine
powder (20-850 μm) of glass waste and analyze it using laser diffrac-
tion, chemical/ mineralogy by XRF and XRD (Table 1), morphology by
SEM and thermogravimetric (TGA/DSC). One of the other studies (2010)
used glass sample to prepare fine glass particles less than 1μm (2 nm-1
μm) (Zimmer et al., 2010).
Oxide glasses may be single component glasses, binary, ternary and
quaternary glass (Elliott, 1984). Most common application of the glass
is glass windows and containers. Ordinary and highly utilized glasses
are synthesized with mainly soda ash and silica with some other materi-
als. Moreover, most new glasses are manufactured through the old and
used glasses as considered recycled. Manufacturing of the glass can be
done through two processes. First process is float technique which is uti-
lized for synthesizing architectural glass. Other one is the glassblowing
technique which synthesizes glass containers like bottles and jars. Three
major components of glass are silicon dioxide, calcium carbonate and
sodium carbonate. Different types of glasses are available in market for
several commercial purposes. Some important glass types are discussed
below (Table 2).
Soda-Lime Glasses: Major component of this glass are silica (60-75
%), soda (12-18 %) and lime (5-12 %) (Meechoowas et al., 2013).

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S. Kumari, S. Agarwal and S. Khan
Borosilicate Glasses: Key component of this glass are silica (70-
80 %) and boric acid (7-13 %). Additional sodium, potassium and alu-
minum oxides can also be utilized for its synthesis to enhance the life
span (Pal et al., 2011).
Lead glasses: Primary constituent are SiO2 (54-65 %), PbO (18-38
%) Na2 O (13-15%) (Kumar, 2017).
Glass Ceramics: Major glass ceramics are Li2 O-ZnO-PbOSi2 O2 and
Li2 O-Al2 O3 -SiO2 (Xiao et al., 2011).
Glass sources
Glass production is considered as a constantly flourishing sector
with increasing demand. Worldwide requirement of fabricated flat glass
is rising rapidly and is predicted to attain 139,900 million U.S. dol-
lars in 2023 that is higher than twice the number reported for 2008
(Pahlevani and Sahajwalla, 2019). Highest application of manufactured
flat glass is in the construction sector, and remaining is utilized in auto-
mobile and other sectors. Top regions with maximum glass requirement
are China, Western Europe and North America.
Around 31 billion dollars revenue was generated for the glass pro-
duction in United States in the year 2019 which is based on the 2.9 %
annual growth for 5 years. With increasing demand of glass in U.S., the
flat glass market value is expected to amplify significantly, from a pre-
dictable 22 and 44 billion U.S. dollars in 2018 and 2025, respectively
(Garside, 2019).
Natural sources
Hundreds of years before mankind learned manufacturing glass; nat-
ural glasses were utilized in knives and arrowheads that are as early as
75,000 B.C.E. The most common natural glass is obsidian, which orig-
inates from rocks which melts with the heat of volcanoes like granite
that finally form glass appearance with reducing temperature and ob-
taining room temperature. Other reported natural glasses are pumice,
glassy foam formed from lava; fulgurites are glass tubes develops by
lightning striking sand or sandy soil; and tektites are lumps of glass
possibly created throughout meteoric impacts. These facts complicate
the development of a prearranged configuration, which forms an un-
structured constitution represented as “mineraloid” (Huang et al., 2012).
These natural glasses are usually dark or black, even though these can
also be brown, green, red or orange based on the constituents of the
rocks and formation method (Kenlab et al., 1999).
The major volcanic glass is the obsidian yet with rapid lowering of
temperature of molten rock can develop different type of glasses. Other
pumice type is produced with the aggressive lave eruption. It is acquired
from rhyolitic and andesitic lavas, other than this it can be obtained from
basaltic lava. It is formed as of foam constitution because of the rapid
pressure removal and attaining room temperature of lava that reduces
the homogeneity of CO2 and H2 O gases which are entrapped in the lava
system. (Venezia et al., 1992).
Apache tears are gloomy lava glass having globular organizations
that are often connected with perlite. It originates from rhyolitic lava
with elevated H2 O amount, which forms stones with instant cooing
of magma (Mrazova and Gadas, 2011). Other than this tachylite is a
shady magma glass acquired with instant attaining room temperature
of basaltic lava therefore its chemical content vary with the obsidian
as rhyolitic lava shows an elevated SiO2 concentration. Sideromelane is
a remarkable glass achieved from basaltic lava. It is developed due to
increased temperature with more fast cooling as compared to tachylite.
It is developed throughout blasts of subglacial volcanoes. It is typically
entrenched in a palagonite medium developing hyaloclastite deposit.
Palagonite is attained from basaltic lava that is developed through con-
tact among the basalt and H2 O to develop painted palagonite tuff. It
is made up of remains of sideromelane and basaltic rocks (Cas and
Wright, 1988).
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Journal of Hazardous Materials Advances 6 (2022) 100063
Man-made sources
Glasses are the shapeless solids with nonappearance of controlled
display of atoms and molecules. At what time, where individuals re-
vealed how to create glass is unknown. Tiny gloomy-colored droplets
of glass were obtained from 4000 B.C.E. (Koleini et al., 2019). It
might have been waste materials obtained during copper smelting. In
2500 B.C.E. tiny parts of first artificial glasses were obtained from
Mesopotamia sections; however real glass factories did not emerge till
1500 B.C.E. from Egypt. In this time several tiny pots, beauty containers
and ornamental objects were obtained and glass industrialization began.
All the antique glasses obtained were consisted of silica, customized
with substantial quantity of a variety of soda and lime. Presently, it is
still the frequently utilized glass. But the historical glass was typically
colored and thick because of a range of contamination, while present
glass best feature is the transparency. Most widespread glass synthesis
methods are melted quench, chemical vapor deposition and sol gel. High
volume of glasses was synthesized through melt quenching technique.
It is the first method for glass synthesis utilized in glass industry before
other methods (Masayuki and Yoshiyuki, 2000; Valentina, 1996).
Fate of Glass in nature
Barely a fraction of squander glass is recycled in production of fresh
glass and residual is discarded because of the contaminants existing or
shade or price (Ashish and Verma, 2019). In 2010, estimated manu-
factured discarded glass was 425,000 and from this only 192,000t was
recycled (Abdollahnejad et al., 2017). Trampled discarded glass has nu-
meral characteristics as existence of huge quantity of Si and Ca having
an uneven organization (Abdollahnejad et al., 2019).
With the rising population and growing earnings, the decoupling of
financial expansion and construction from source utilization is forming
gradually more significant. Glass is a resource which has limitless reuse
property with no quality change during the recycling process. On the
other hand, with the huge worldwide manufacturing amount and the
major difference in recycling rates per region and per glass application
sector, the decoupling of production volumes and resource consumption
is still a long way off. However, container glass has recycling rates over
90 % accomplished in some countries today. Still, worldwide, it is just
less than 35 % (Harder, 2018).
Major quantity of 48 % are covered by the container glass, 42 % are
reported by a variety of flat glass goods such as building glass, automo-
bile, etc., 5 % are reported for crockery and 6 % other glass goods. About
1350 glassworks with approximately 2500 glass furnaces are in action
now. Worldwide glass manufacturing ability goes beyond 195 Mta, out
of which 44% are for flat glass and 46% are for container glass. World-
wide recycling amounts are at present predicted to be about 27 Mta
that signify only 21 % of the quantity of glass manufactured. Maximum
recycling rates are attained for container glass that is predictable 32
%, whereas the recycling rate for flat glass is just 11 % (Harder, 2018)
(Fig. 3).
Degradation of glass
Degradation of glass plays an important role in formation nano-glass.
It can occur through outer factors as ecological circumstances or inner
factors as definite chemicals. Weathering covers the degradation of glass
through environmental contaminants, like acidifying gases or air par-
ticulate substances; it is observed as an unusual kind of decay and thus
frequently depicted as atmospheric decay (Melcher et al., 2010).
In distinctive ambient environment, a slim H2 O coating is shaped
on the glass plane as an outcome of the concentration of atmosphere
humidity or through rainfall causing an ion exchange amid hydrogen-
consisting species from the water layer and the system alteration ions of
the glass alike to the liquid decay. Environmental contaminants like SO2 ,
CO2 , or air particles can suspend in the water layer forming a decline in
S. Kumari, S. Agarwal and S. Khan Journal of Hazardous Materials Advances 6 (2022) 100063

Fig. 3. Glass manufactures and recycles annually worldwide.

Fig. 4. Effect of glass production and glass recycling

the pH and consequently an improvement of the ion dispersion. Growing
temperature can form evaporation of the light layer and precipitation of
crystalline weathering outcome material on the glass plane. The element
constituents of these weathering materials are consequently detected by
the glass content and the environmental contaminants. The dimension
and structure of these weathering glass materials demonstrate huge dis-
similarity as nm to μm (Melcher and Schreiner, 2004a; Melcher and
Schreiner, 2004b). Therefore micro/nano glass are formed during nat-
ural and manmade degradation of glass, which enters in the ecosystem
cycle.
Recycling of glass
Different element contents of glass are the major cause why the
majority of discarded glass is not suitable for recycling. It is non-
biodegradable material because of its inert nature. Waste glass that can’t
be recycled is dumped in landfills and oceans, which requires around 1
million years in decomposing (Delaney, 2013).
It was reported that in 2013, 10.37 million tons of waste glass were
produced by America. Out of this, only 27 % of waste glass was re-
cycled and remaining 73 % of waste glass is discarded in landfills

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S. Kumari, S. Agarwal and S. Khan Journal of Hazardous Materials Advances 6 (2022) 100063

Table 3
Possible environment aspects and impact of glass production.

Environmental
factors Possible aspects Possible environmental impact Possible impact to human kind

Natural resources Over consumption Shore communities open to flooding and erosion Toxic dust, gases and fumes may be hazardous if
Over heat production through heavy machines inhaled (Gupta et al., 1991)
Ø Sand/minerals 1 ton water used per melted ton of glass. And 1 ton Fragile glass end-points are very dangerous; they
Ø Energy sources roughly half is evaporated in cooling the machinery. easily penetrate the skin and break off, leaving a small
Ø Water piece of glass embedded in the skin (Mensah 2009).

Land Hazardous waste Hazardous waste contamination (30 kilograms of Contaminated land and soil may cause serious health
Solid waste deposition unspecified solid waste produced per metric tons of impacts
Landfill glass)
Loss of lands
Disturbance and soil erosion, loss of soil cover, water
logging, loss of habitats.
Water Mining and construction Hazardous waste contamination in water resources Drinking and usage of contaminated (hazardous as
drainage Disturbs groundwater well as micro/nano particles of glass) may cause
Health impact on marine habitat serious health impacts (Kim et al., 2009)
Air Emission of green house Global warming (a ton of glass will liberate around Exposure to hazardous gashes and toxic chemicals
gases such as CO2 , SO2 , 500-900kg of CO2 ) evaporations may affect human as well as living
NOx, CH4 , CFCs, halons Ozone layer depletion (130 kg per metric tons green beings’ health (Chi and Han 2013)
and other chlorinated house gases produced)
compounds Exposure to hazardous gases
Toxic emissions
Visual and Noise Production processes Dust, odor Over noise pollution (noise levels of up to 106 dBA)
Heavy duty machinery Noise and vibration may impact on hearing ability
Prolonged exposure to heat, infrared light etc, is
attributed to cause cataract in the eyes (Barbour, 1978)

(U.S. EPA, 2015; Fig. 4). It was predicted in 2007, that 130 million
tons of glass were manufactured worldwide and utilized for several pur-
poses, thus the increasing demand will increase the waste glass amount
(International Energy Agency, 2007). However, the whole quantity of
discarded glass generated might be high, and just a portion of it can be
recycled because of the firm restrictions in recycling. Therefore, the not
recycled glass that is dumped in landfills and oceans goes through atmo-
spheric degradation. That leaches a large amount of nano/micro glass
particles in the ecosystem cycle. These nano/micro glasses can accu-
mulate in marine organisms and human food chain too through animals
and plants. Is this possible? If yes, then it is essential to research the pro-
cess of glass leaches in nano/micro sizes, its movement in ecosystem, its
uptake in plants and humans.
Fate of micro/nano glass in nature
Glass is not completely biodegradable, it can be reuse or recycle
but it can’t be an overall solution of broken glass pieces. Larger bro-
ken pieces can be easily collected and recycled but the fate of small
or very fine pieces of glass cannot be collected or recycled. The very
fine pieces (micro/nano) mixed in dirt or soil and ultimately became
the part of our ecosystem. It can be consumed by humans/animals
(contact, breathing, eating etc.), marine creatures (gulf, breathing etc.)
and last but not least the plants (absorbing by roots). More than
75 % of glass is basically composed of silica and due to a chem-
ical component (Mosaberpanah et al., 2019). For silica in general,
the property most significantly linked to the toxicological potential
is the crystallinity. For micron-sized crystalline silica, oxidative stress
and, linked to it, oxidative DNA and membrane damage, are prob-
ably the most important mechanisms involved in the inflammogenic
and fibrogenic activities (Fubini and Hubbard, 2003) and/or carcino-
genic activity (International Agency for Research on Cancer, 1997;
Saffiotti, 1992). Some possible environmental impacts of glass produc-
tion/recycling/damage/landfilling are detailed discussed in Table 3.
Micro/nano-glass in food
There are approximately 400,000 variety of plants on globe, out of
this 200,000 is edible and every one of these varieties are grown on
soil, that might be contaminated via micro/nano glass (Warren, 2016).
It might be possible that mankind is consuming micro/nano glass via
plant source. It can become a matter of distress. Yet, this hypothesis
is rough because presently there is no report published on the pres-
ence of micro/nano glass in plants. Other than this, it is possible that
the uptake velocity can differ through nano glass form and nano glass
amount in soil/plant. Consumed nano glass can cause problems to indi-
viduals (Verla et al., 2019). Glass pollutants, like glass fragments, are ex-
tremely hazardous pollutants if obtained in whichever foodstuff manu-
facturing procedure. The disadvantages might be expensive recollection
if the goods have previously been shipped; brand name spoil occurred
through terrible advertising when food manufacturer require announc-
ing the risks of contamination and the recollect; worst-case situation
being the damage and threat occurred to the clients.
Previously, numerous cases were reported on the major scandals oc-
curred by glass wreckage that ended in the ultimate put together man-
ufactured goods. In 2009, it was obtained that numerous diverse food-
stuffs were probably polluted with glass in Scandinavia (Mekitec). Ter-
ror of polluted foodstuff spread rapidly via various countries where the
goods were traded, and a bunch of manufactured goods recalls were
done because of the pollution hazard. As a consequence, the utilization
of glass materials in food manufacturing atmosphere is being reduced
all the time. A lot of big retail chains have their individual restrictions
and policies for this, however there are yet a number of issues regardless
of these measures.
Micro/nano-glass in marine life
Ussuri bay of Russia is a discarding land for older glass containers
and discards from a porcelain plant. Glass bottles of beer, vodka and
wine were obtained from the ussuri bay. Due to these glass particles,
it was considered harmful for the human visit, but recently it is known
for its tourist attraction (Hannah, 2017). However, researchers are not
focusing on how these are formed? It may have released tones of glass
nanoparticles for the formation of different structured pebbles. Glass
pollution might negatively impact the ocean life by disturbing every
organism in the ocean and entering the food chain. Several sea species
can be harmed severally due to the accumulation of glass nano/micro
particles. Further, it can enter the human food chain through the sea

6
S. Kumari, S. Agarwal and S. Khan
food. However, the fate of this micro/nano glass and its effect on the
oceanic life remains mostly unidentified. Sunlight, temperature, pH and
different chemicals can also have a function in changing glass to sizes
lower than those captured by marine researchers. This speculation can
somewhat make clear how glass particles might enter and affect the
ocean life. Still, straight experimental data for the proposed theory of
oceanic glass lefts unknown.
Small organisms at the base of the food web as plankton in deep-
sea can engulf the nanomaterials as they feed. Since, nanomaterials
cannot be digested easily, the nanomaterials collect in these organisms
and with time it becomes more concentrated in their systems as com-
pared to the neighboring water or soil. In future, these organisms can be
consumed by bigger organism and thus the concentration increases yet
again. There is no such data available regarding glass contamination in
water bodies.
Micro/nano-glass in higher animals
In past 60 years, numerous questions were elevated over the possible
patient protection matters associated with the glass micro-particulate
contagion of drugs from glass ampoules, mostly for intravenous manage-
ment (Brewer, 1947; Garvan and Gunner, 1964; Lye and Hwang, 2003;
Carraretto et al., 2011). There have been only some convincing an-
swers; but there is some probability that it can show some problems as
pulmonary thrombi, micro-emboli, and end-organ granuloma formation
(Carraretto et al., 2011).
There are obvious facts that the act of breaking off the crown
of an ampoule can occur to impurity of ampoule matter, chiefly
with micro/nano glass (Kawasaki, 2009). Micro/nano glass are mainly
consisting of inorganic complexes and metallic oxides (Carraretto
et al., 2011). The particles size is between 8-172 μm (Carbone-
Traber and Shanks, 1986). The quantity of particulate substance differs
a little between different producers and additional particles are obtained
in see-through metal imprinted ampoules compared to colored chemi-
cally imprinted ampoules.
Although silica is one of the most necessary materials to make glass,
it has serious complications on our body systems particularly on res-
piratory system and causes silicosis and respiratory cancer. The ef-
fects of exposing human lung’s submucosal cells to SiO2 of various
sizes (10, 150, and 500 nm), for 2–24 h in vitro, have been studied
(McCarthy et al., 2012). The authors concluded the nanotoxicity of 10
nm SiO2 on the submucosal cells is associated with inflammation. Toxic
effect was not observed with amorphous silica with 150 and 500 nm.
Glass workers are expose to inhaling free silica dust, irritating alkalis
gas or vapor due to combustion and melting materials, working in a hot
weather, contact to infrared radiation and eventually the dangerous of
touching the cutting pieces and glasses, etc. (Kasaai, 2015). The allow-
able thresholds for silica powder are 10 mg/m3 and for amorphous silica
is 0.05 mg/m3 (Merget et al., 2002).
Effects of micro/nano-glass on soil, soil biota and plants
(Hypothesis)
What type of system could be significant to understand the mi-
cro/nano glass consequence on plant functioning system? It is possible
that there are different possible mechanisms present, as glass category;
it will operate alongside, however will be discussed independently. So
far, no research on the movement and lethal potential of nano/micro
glass has been given attention on oceanic environments, and there is a
vital need for studies on possible unpleasant effects of micro/nano glass
contamination on soil, plants and animals.
Glasses are manufactured, utilized and discarded in terrestrial en-
vironment where they react with the flora and fauna (de Souza et al.,
2018a). Most of the glass ever produced may be “environmentally avail-
able” and with agricultural soils might be potentially storing more mi-
cro/nano glass than oceanic basins (Nizzetto et al., 2016). Such mi-
7
Journal of Hazardous Materials Advances 6 (2022) 100063
cro/nano glass concentrations can affect soil chemistry, for example,
by varying the decomposition of organic substances as reported for mi-
croplastic (Liu et al., 2017). Moreover, nanoglass-driven transformation
in soil characteristics can be greatly based on nanoglass type (de Souza
et al., 2018b).
Despite of this, there is a requirement of experimental confirmations
on the possible effects of nano glass contamination on soil and plants.
No publication has obtained any impact of nano glasses on soil and plant
characteristics, that’s why here we are trying to discus some hypotheti-
cal effects of micro/nano glass on plants and soil. It is logical to propose
that alteration in soil structure and composition can be the trigger of a
cascade of events that altered the soil biophysical environment.
The changes in soil structure can affect pore space and connectivity,
therefore simultaneously impacting water holding capacity and soil per-
meability. In turn, the water evaporation decreases soil water availabil-
ity, and by doing so affects the frequency and intensity of wet-dry cycles
in the soils. These wet-dry cycles are important as they regulate the ex-
pansion and contraction of soil particles, and therefore initiate feedback
changes in pore space and connectivity (de Souza et al., 2018a).
Water availability is particularly important for biological processes.
In fact, both root traits and microbial activities are known to strongly
respond to soil moisture. Moreover, roots might also respond directly to
the changes in soil structure and chemical composition (including nu-
trient availability) elicited by the nano glass. Soil microbes could also
directly respond to changes in soil structure and composition through
differential utilization of organic or nitrogen substrates as a final elec-
tron acceptor (Green et al., 2006; Verbruggen et al., 2016). Ultimately,
changes in microbial activity likely leads to shifts in microbial com-
munity composition, which can affect also the subset of the microbes
directly interacting with plant roots.
Modification to soil properties can have numerous, secondary effects.
It will be predictable that an alteration in a foremost soil characteristic
such as soil organization will origin alteration in soil microbial popu-
lation composition, although it is complicated to forecast such changes
and in addition their functional consequences. If these types of modifica-
tions also influence root symbionts, as well as mycorrhiza and N-fixers,
this can interpret to plant development effects. Positive effects on soil ag-
gregation are as well likely if micro/nano glass provide to entangle soil
particles and therefore assist in the soil aggregate arrangement proce-
dure constituent. Soil aggregation, by effecting in turn soil arrangement,
will have effects for soil ventilation and root development.
Plant performance based greatly on soil biota and their variety
(Wagg et al., 2014), and on root colonizing microbes, counting N-
fixers, pathogens and mycorrhizal fungi (Powell and Rillig, 2018). If
micro/nano glass causes alteration in soil arrangement, these can af-
fect microbial population in soil (Lowery and Ursell, 2019), mainly dis-
turbing mineralization rates and communities of root-colonizing sym-
bionts. Similarly, nanoglass can also influence the soil-borne period of
symbionts like arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, via lethal influences. This
has not been revealed for nano glass, however different nanomateri-
als can have influence on mycorrhizal performance (Feng et al., 2013).
Presently, no one reported the impact of micro/nano glass on the com-
munity constituent of soil or root colonizing microbes and therefore the
effect of every change is at present entirely uncertain; still, this desires
to be a study priority.
It is thus quite clear that different plant species in a community could
be affected to a different degree by the addition of micro/nano glass
(either as mixtures or single types). Fig. 5 illustrate the possible delete-
rious effects of micro/nano glass on plant parts. Micro/nano glass can
enter through soil to root hairs and move on to the arial plant parts. The
expected changes (damage) may appear in plants at its physiology, bio-
chemistry and molecular level. Lack of experimental data here we can
only assume the expected results of micro/nano glass interaction with
soil, soil microbes and plants.
Thus, micro glass has the potential to affect plant diversity and com-
munity composition, and there are several mechanisms that can under-
S. Kumari, S. Agarwal and S. Khan Journal of Hazardous Materials Advances 6 (2022) 100063

Fig. 5. Fate of micro/nano-glass in soil and plant parts (Hypothesis)

pin shifts. For example, plant community properties are related to soil At present we know next to nothing about its presence and its effect on
structure (e.g., soil aggregation) (Pohl et al., 2012; Peres et al., 2013). the ecosystem. Several conclusions have been derived from the review
Thus, the significant effects of various micro/nano glass types on soil work:
structure have the potential to affect plant community composition.
• First, large percentage of waste glass is not recycled globally, which
Moreover, the soil microbial community strongly influences plant
requires around 1 million years in decomposing. Only 21 percent of
community composition, productivity and diversity (Wagg et al., 2014;
the total glass produced in 2018 was recycled worldwide.
van der Heijden et al., 2016). Changes in soil microbial composition
• Secondly, the major concern should be regarding the possibility of
or root-colonizing symbionts following micro/nano glass addition may
glass particles slowly degradation into smaller fragments, such as
thus further influence plant community composition. For instance, if
nano (nanoglass) and micro-sized (microglass) particles. It’s possible
micro/nano glass additions reduce soil microbial diversity or the abun-
presence in the marine and terrestrial life and its effect on the food
dance of root-colonizing symbionts, plant diversity could be decreased,
web.
due to the often-positive effects of soil microbial diversity or root colo-
• Third, hypothetical problems associated with glass pollution in the
nizing symbionts on plant diversity (Wagg et al., 2014; van der Heijden
soil-plant chemistry, soil-microbes chemistry and marine environ-
et al., 2016).
ment with the description of the research gaps.
Knowledge gap and future area of research
Author Contribution
• Statistical data regarding the presence of micro/nano glass in marine
life is not uncovered and mechanism relating its effect on the marine Dr. Sonu Kumari: Idea generation and writing part
organisms is required. Dr. Swati Agarwal: Writing, Fig. and table formation
• Research evidence is not available regarding the possible effect of Dr. Suphiya Khan: Correspondence and guidance
nano glass on soil characteristics and soil-nano glass-microbe inter-
action mechanisms. Ethical Responsibilities of Authors
• Nanoglass uptake, accumulation and potential effect on the plants
is still very sketchy and currently not clear. Therefore, more studies Authors follow all the Ethics related guidelines.
are required for better understanding of plant-nanoglass interaction.
• Quantification studies for micro/nano glass in edible and non-edible Consent to Participate
plants is necessary to better understand its distribution in plant.
• Studies are required for providing possible remediation strategies to The authors have been assured that any future questions will be an-
stop it from entering the food chain. swered by our research team.

Conclusion Consent to Publish

Micro/nanoglass can become the contaminants of concern; given The authors, the undersigned, give their consent for the publication
their ubiquity they need to be regarded as a factor of global change. of identifiable details, which can include photograph(s) and/or videos

8
S. Kumari, S. Agarwal and S. Khan
and/or case history and/or details within the text (“Material”) to be
published in the above Journal and Article.
Availability of data and materials
The data that support the findings of this study are available from
the corresponding author, [Dr. Suphiya Khan], upon reasonable request.
Declaration of Competing Interest
There is no conflict of interest.
Acknowledgement
This study was funded by DBT BIG-BIRAC Ref No.
BIRAC/CCAMP0723/BIG-13/18 and DST major project entitled
“Low Cost-Renewable Energy Driven (LC-RED) Water Treatment
Solution Centre” Ref No. DST/TM/WTI/WIC/2K17/124.
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