Scientists have shown that the Bulgarian Black Sea coast is among the most polluted
with microplastics in the world.
The impact that drinking water contaminated
with microplastics has on our health is still being studied.
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.
In other words, the problem
with microplastics isn't just the plastic itself, but the complex mix of chemicals the plastics carry with them.
Everybody poops, but the poop of bloblike filter feeders called giant larvaceans could be laced
with microplastics.
Among investigated rivers, the Rhine is thus among those most heavily polluted
with microplastics.
Not exact matches
Research on
microplastics is still in the early stages,
with further science on it emerging.
Barry is also on board
with moves to avoid the use of
microplastics in things like toothpaste and cosmetic products.
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Microplastics can also interact
with soil fauna, affecting their health and soil functions.
Researchers found a wide array of
microplastics in fish stomachs —
with a whopping 73 % of the fish having ingested the pollutants.
The team found a wide array of
microplastics in the fish stomachs —
with a whopping 73 % of the fish having ingested the pollutants.
«
Microplastic pollution has been in the news recently,
with several governments planning a ban on microbeads used in cosmetics and detergents» says Alina Wieczorek from the National University of Ireland, Galway and lead author of the study.
But the researchers suspect that the creatures» poop, as well as their mucus houses, could transfer
microplastics from the water's surface to the depths of the sea (along
with nutrients such as carbon that cycle through the environment).
Between Basel and Rotterdam, the Rhine has one of the highest
microplastics pollution so far measured in rivers,
with the Rhine - Ruhr metropolitan area showing peak numbers of up to four times the average.
With increasing reports on this issue, Huahong Shi and colleagues wanted to see whether
microplastics might also be in sea salt.
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.
In this issue, experiments were conducted
with sediment dwelling marine worms, showing that chemically inert
microplastics of a size similar to sand grains from the beaches in which the worms lived caused physical harm (Wright et al.) whilst Browne et al. showed
microplastic can move pollutants and additives to worms, reducing functions linked to health and biodiversity.
The image shows a copepod
with fluorescent
microplastics in its stomach.
Microplastics are tiny plastic particles (1ɥm — 5 mm) which originates from degeneration of car tires, domestic goods, industrial processes and from degeneration of surfaces composed of, or coated
with, plastics, i.e. artificial grass.
Tests of mineral rich sea salts made from drying sea water are revealing that they are contaminated
with hormone disrupting
microplastics.
Collecting ice cores north of Lulea, Sweden to measure the concentration of
microplastics and compare
with the research results in Canada.
These
microplastics (particles
with a diameter
Recognizes that plastics, including
microplastics, in the marine environment are a rapidly increasing problem due to their large and still increasing use combined
with the inadequate management and disposal of plastic waste, and because plastic debris in the marine environment is steadily fragmenting into secondary
microplastics; 5.
With stunning footage of plastic pollution in Indonesia, the film explores the problem of microplastics through interviews with scientists, explorers, and environmental activi
With stunning footage of plastic pollution in Indonesia, the film explores the problem of
microplastics through interviews
with scientists, explorers, and environmental activi
with scientists, explorers, and environmental activists.
«Plastic particles smaller than 5 mm pose a massive environmental and human health risk when they enter our waterways,» said Abby Barrows, a marine research scientist
with Adventure Scientists and College of the Atlantic, who is featured in the film and has analyzed thousands of water samples from around the world for
microplastics.
«This is evidence we are dealing
with a truly global contaminant,» Chelsea Rochman, a
microplastic researcher at the University of Toronto, told Earther in an email.
Plastic travels up the food chain,
with the average seafood eater consuming 11,000 pieces of
microplastic a year.
Standard wastewater treatment plants can not deal
with the flood of
microplastics.
Cummins said the 2018 timeline is a bit long, but the organization could live
with that date as a compromise to see
microplastics banned nation - wide.
Filter feeders such as whales and whale sharks ingest large amounts of
microplastic as the ocean becomes increasingly polluted
with plastic debris.