By: Micheal Lewis
In modern-day science, there is something out there threatening our environment that is still not very well known about. It can be found in oceans, the most remote islands, Antarctica, inside your room, and maybe even inside you. This mysterious airborne entity is known to be very harmful, being linked to infertility, weight gain, respiratory issues, and even cancer. As one might have guessed by now, we are talking about microplastic.
What are microplastics?
Microplastics are miniature pieces of plastic measuring no more than five millimeters in length. They often come from the debris of larger plastic pieces, and can easily bypass water filtration systems, making their way into large bodies of water, such as oceans and lakes, causing harm to wildlife around the area. Once they make their way to the ocean, they are almost impossible to get rid of.
How can it Affect Marine Life?
When ingested, microplastics are known to block the GI tracts of birds and small fish, leading to internal damage within their stomachs. Aside from its physical ailments, chemicals are also brought out from the plastic, leading to reproductive issues, neurological disorders, and even fatality. Studies have shown that fish with prolonged exposure to microplastics often experience inflammation, oxidative stress, and disrupted energy metabolism.
What Can We Do About It?
There are multiple ways that we can play our part to produce microplastic pollution. For one, make sure to always check the ingredients on your beauty and skincare products, as a lot of them contain microplastic, usually in the form of beads in products such as exfoliants. You can also ensurethat you are not buying any clothing items with synthetic fibers, as their microplastics, in the form of microfibres, can easily make their way into bodies of water while washing it by the millions. If you do decide to wash a piece of fabric containing synthetic fibers, make sure to do so using a guppyfriend bag, bags that specialize in trapping these fibers.
References
- https://www.whoi.edu/know-your-ocean/ocean-topics/ocean-human-lives/pollution/marine-microplastics/
- https://www.cwhc-rcsf.ca/docs/fact_sheets/Wildlife%20ingestion%20of%20microplastics.pdf
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1687428522000218
- https://www.oceancare.org/en/stories_and_news/microplastics/?utm_campaign=plastik&utm_source=gad-g&utm_medium=sea&utm_content=plastik-en&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjw2ou2BhCCARIsANAwM2H0oe6Ivdz6VxNS-_u_Oivw6xAO5aQ7_w8gwg1t4VWoJevCSUYs56waAuKBEALw_wcB
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