Sentences with phrase «by microplastics»

This data is necessary to be able to respond effectively to contamination by microplastics and the risk they pose to terrestrial ecosystems — where, after all, most plastic waste that enters the environment accumulates.

Not exact matches

Microplastic contamination may also spread from organism to organism when prey is eaten by predators.

This means they could spread microplastic pollution throughout the marine ecosystem, by carrying microplastics from the surface down to deeper waters, affecting deep - sea organisms.

«The high ingestion rate of microplastics by mesopelagic fish that we observed has important consequences for the health of marine ecosystems and biogeochemical cycling in general.»

Although as much as 80 % of this marine plastic is emitted by rivers to the oceans, not a single great river has yet been scientifically studied for the microplastics load over its length.

By comparing the amount of microplastics with historical measurements of the GPGP, the team found that plastic pollution levels within the GPGP have been growing exponentially since measurements began in the 1970s.

However, central surface waters of the oceans may not be the final destination of plastic debris since, as indicated by the study performed by the Malaspina Expedition, large amounts of microplastics could be passing to the marine food chain and the ocean floor.

On 7 December, Uppsala University in Sweden released a long - awaited report by its Board for Investigation of Misconduct in Research, which investigated a high - profile paper about the effects of microplastics on fish, published in Science in June 2016.

A separate report, from Mark Anthony Browne on work performed at Plymouth University, shows that ingesting microplastic can also reduce the health of lugworms by delivering harmful chemicals, including hydrocarbons, antimicrobials, and flame retardants, to them.

Work by Stephanie Wright from the University of Exeter found that if ocean sediments are heavily contaminated with microplastics, marine lugworms eat less and their energy levels suffer.

Nizzetto et al (2016): «A theoretical assessment of microplastic transport in river catchments and their retention by soils and river sediments» in Environ.

At least one recent study, authored by one of Thompson's former graduate students and colleagues, including Thompson, showed that a type of filter feeder called a lugworm was adversely affected when exposed to sand that had microplastics that contained common chemical pollutants.

The majority of the debris comprises microplastics that are created by the process of photodegradation (in the ocean, the sun breaks down the plastics into ever smaller pieces).

A new report by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) examines the source of these primary microplastics.

Microplastics create an estimated $ 13 billion a year in losses from damage to marine ecosystems (not to mention the severe degradation to natural capital suffered by animals and their habitats), as well as financial losses to fisheries and tourism.

«These microplastics absorb pollutants, are eaten by organisms, and enter the food chain, potentially affecting human health.»

These include microplastics, which impose severe degradation to natural capital suffered by animals and their habitats.

Emphasizes that further urgent action is needed to address the challenges posed by marine plastic debris and microplastics, by addressing such materials at source, by reducing pollution through improved waste management practices and by cleaning up existing debris and litter;

Welcomes the initiative by the Joint Group of Experts on the Scientific Aspects of Marine Environmental Protection to produce an assessment report on microplastics, which is scheduled to be launched in November 2014; 13.

Also recognizes the need for more knowledge and research on the source and fate of microplastics and their impact on biodiversity, marine ecosystems and human health, noting recent knowledge that such particles can be ingested by biota and could be transferred to higher levels in the marine food chain, causing adverse effects; 6.

«This accumulations of microplastics is being ingested by the largest of the filter feeders right down to the smaller organisims, the microorganisms at the bottom of the food chain.»

Those pieces of plastic in our local waterways break down into microplastics which can then be eaten or swallowed by sea life and fish.

Even the UN Environment Program has taken a strong stance against plastic pollution, and started a global campaign to reduce marine debris from microplastics and single use plastics by 2022.

The goal is to eliminate major sources of pollution, including microplastics in cosmetics and single - use disposable plastics, by pressuring governments and individuals to rethink the way goods are packaged and their own shopping habits.

These include microplastics, which result in an estimated $ 13 billion a year in losses from damage to marine ecosystems (not to mention the severe degradation to natural capital suffered by animals and their habitats) and financial losses to fisheries and tourism.

A new study conducted by researchers at the State University of New York Fredonia has found that brands of sea salt sold in China contain high amounts of microplastics.

Microplastics in the ocean are being consumed by corals in the Great Barrier Reef, but what impact could this pollution have on marine ecosystems?

Latest study conducted by Plymouth University researchers has found that everyday cosmetic products, such as facial soaps, toothpastes and exfoliants, contain around 100,000 microplastic particles that often end up as pollutants in oceans and rivers.