Cigarette Butts: The Invisible Waste: From Urban Pollution to Aquatic Ecosystems

Cigarette butts are one of the most abundant-and at the same time, most overlooked-forms of waste on the planet. Every year, billions of them are discarded on streets, in plazas, on beaches, in rivers, and in public spaces, becoming a silent source of environmental pollution. However, behind their small size lies a complex problem involving toxic substances, microplastics, water pollution, and effects on living organisms.*Cigarette Butts: The Invisible Waste* offers an accessible and rigorously researched exploration of the history, composition, environmental behavior, and ecological impact of this waste. Through chapters that combine popular science with current evidence, the book explores how modern filters were developed, what pollutants cigarette butts contain, how they are transported in the environment, how they release nicotine and other toxic compounds, and what their effects are on terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. The book also presents the scientific tools used to study this issue, including advanced analytical techniques and environmental biomonitoring strategies.