Plastic Tides: Tackling Plastic Pollution for Global Food Security

As plastics, including microplastics, increasingly infiltrate freshwater and marine ecosystems, they pose serious risks to aquatic organisms, particularly those that are part of the human food chain. To address this crisis, researchers and policymakers require a multidisciplinary exploration of both the origins of plastic pollution and the potential mitigation strategies, including biodegradable alternatives, circular economy approaches, policy frameworks, and community-led efforts to reduce environmental impact.

Plastic Tides: Tackling Plastic Pollution for Global Food Security will not only examine the sources of plastics in water bodies, their accumulation in aquatic food species, and the potential health and economic impacts on communities reliant on these resources, but also explore practical solutions, including plastic reduction strategies and sustainable material alternatives. Special emphasis will be placed on regions and populations that are particularly dependent on fisheries and agriculture, highlighting their heightened exposure and vulnerability. Insights from across the fields of environmental science, toxicology, and public health, together offer a comprehensive guide to tackling this influx of pollution on a scientific and public policy level.

Professor (Dr.) Adnan Abubakr

Professor (Dr.) Adnan Abubakr is a distinguished academic and researcher currently serving as Professor of Limnology and Head of the Division of Aquatic Environmental Management, Faculty of Fisheries, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir (SKUAST-K). He holds both M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees in Limnology from the Department of Limnology, Barkatullah University, Bhopal, with expertise in water and wastewater analysis, including analytical and bacteriological techniques applicable to freshwater and brackish water systems.

Dr. Abubakr specializes in the design and development of artificial wetland systems for wastewater treatment. With over 15 years of extensive experience in teaching, research, and extension in the field of aquatic ecology, he has significantly contributed to the advancement of aquatic environmental sciences. He played a pivotal role in establishing the M.F.Sc. and Ph.D. degree programs in Aquatic Environmental Management within the Division of AEM at SKUAST-K.

A prolific researcher, Dr. Abubakr has published more than 60 research papers in peer-reviewed journals. He has successfully completed two externally funded and three university-funded research projects and has supervised more than 20 postgraduate and doctoral students in their research pursuits.

Dr. Monisa M. Malik

Dr. Monisa M. Malik is currently serving as an Assistant Professor cum Junior Scientist in the Division of Aquatic Environmental Management, Faculty of Fisheries, Rangil, Ganderbal, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology - Kashmir (SKUAST-K). She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Fisheries Science from Dr. Balasaheb Sawant Konkan Krishi Vidyapeeth (DBSKKV), Dapoli, where she was recognized as the Best Academic Performer and honored with the Best Student Award.

Dr. Malik completed both her Master’s and Ph.D. in Fisheries Science from SKUAST-Kashmir, earning a Gold Medal for her outstanding performance during her Master’s program. She is also a recipient of the prestigious National INSPIRE Fellowship for her doctoral research.

Her research expertise includes Limnology, Wastewater Treatment, Aquatic Ecology, and Aquatic Environmental Management. Dr. Malik is an active member of several editorial boards, including the International Journal of Energy and Environmental Science, Journal of Zoo Biology, and Nature Science e-Magazine. In addition, she holds life memberships in reputed organizations such as the Journal of Fisheries and Life Sciences and the Journal of Environmental Biology.

Dr. Malik has contributed over 22 research articles to national and international peer-reviewed journals and is the author of a book published by an international publisher. She has also written several impactful book chapters. Her scholarly contributions have been recognized with a Best Poster Presentation Award from a national organization.

Dr. Adnan Amin

Dr Adnan Amin is an Assistant Professor Cum Junior Scientist in the Division of Aquatic Environmental Management at the Faculty of Fisheries, Rangil, Ganderbal, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir (SKUAST-K), specializing in Aquatic toxicology, Limnology, and Impacts of emerging contaminants such as microplastics on aquatic ecosystems. His recent work underscores how microplastics accumulate in aquatic environments, enter food chains and pose serious risks to aquatic life as well as human food security, highlighting pathways of pollution, ecological impacts and mitigation strategies. Through editorial leadership in a volume addressing ecological and food-safety implications of plastic pollution, he brings together emerging evidence on how plastic waste undermines the integrity of aquatic ecosystems and threatens global food and nutrition security. His contributions reflect a growing urgency to integrate aquatic pollution science with food-system resilience, emphasizing both environmental and public-health dimensions.