According to scientists, microplastics can travel across continents according to researchers who discovered them in the pure mountain air of Pyrenees 2,800 miles away from their source.
These small particles of plastic pollution originated in Africa. They are evidence that microplastics have spread to every part of the globe, including Antarctica and North Pole.
The microplastic pollution crossed thousands of miles of continent and ocean, according to the team from the University of Birmingham.
Previous research suggested that plastic particles are transported on’regional’ scales, however the latest study shows they can cross continents within the Earth’s atmosphere.
The team says it’s not clear how common this phenomenon is.
According to scientists, microplastics can travel across continents according to researchers who discovered them in the pure mountain air of Pyrenees 2,800 miles away from their source.
These microscopic particles of plastic pollution originated in Africa. They add to evidence that microplastics are everywhere on Earth, from Antarctica up to the North Pole.
Humans may be allergic to microplastics and can die from cell damage.
Microplastic particles can cause cell death, cellular wall damage and allergic reactions in humans – at levels ingested by people via their food, a study has warned.
Researchers from University of Hull reviewed 17 prior studies about the toxicological impact of microplastics upon human cells, in a laboratory environment.
Next, the team compared microplastics that can cause cell damage to those consumed via water, fish and table salt.
According to the team, the severity of cellular damage was affected by the microplastics that were absorbed. The effects of irregularly-shaped microplastics on cells were greater.
Experts warn that the impact of microplastics on the human body is still unknown. It’s not even known for how long.
Steve Allen, along with colleagues at the University of Birmingham conducted this study by collecting microplastics in high-altitude areas.
Then, they tracked their origin source to determine how far they had traveled.
It was discovered that air with the particles had traveled an average 2,800 miles each week to reach the observatory.
To reach the thin atmosphere above the Pyrenees, the particles traveled westward and southward. They crossed the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea.
Researchers believe particles could have also arrived in North Africa from North America or western Europe.
This implies a trans-continental and/or trans-oceanic transportation through the free troposphere, the layer of atmosphere that is above the cloud.
Microplastics from continents far away could have an impact on even those regions that are not affected by local plastic usage.
This pollution was caused by bits of polystyrene, and other plastic. Most of it comes from packaging.
Dr Allen said: ‘Previously detected in rivers, oceans, and snow, microplastic has now been found in the high-altitude air surrounding the Pic du Midi.’
The observatory’s astronomical telescope is situated at the peak of the mountain. It sits nearly 9,500 feet above sea-level.
This study involved analysing more than 10.000 cubic metres of air.
A microplastic concentration of approximately one in four was determined.
Although Dr Allen claims it does not pose a threat directly, it is still far away from pollution sources, so that isn’t surprising.
He said, “It provides an explanation for them presence at the poles on Mount Everest or in other remote areas of our planet.”
These particles, which are less than 5 millimetres in length, can be seen by the naked eye. Governments and activists have been working to reduce proliferation.
These people are motivated primarily by concerns for wildlife, and worry about unsightly drink bottles or abandoned fishing lines on beaches.
According to University of Birmingham researchers, the microplastic pollution covered thousands of miles of ocean and continent.
Coral contains more than 4 MILLION lbs of microplastic
Ocean life is at risk from microplastics. The pollution contains traces of toxic chemicals and metals. New research reveals the impact they have on coral.
Researchers from Germany’s University Giessen discovered that up to 4 million pounds of microplastics could be found in coral skeletons each year.
Nearly three percent of all toxic substances were found in tropical shallow waters that corals can thrive, according to the study.
Corals mistakenly consume microplastics as food. This can lead to tissue necrosis and bleaching in living organisms.
Many countries have reduced the use of plastic bags. Various projects explore how to collect the oceanic waste.
Yet, very little has been done in order to address the “hidden dangers” of particles polluting our environment that we cannot see (known as microplastics).
These fibres can also be found in cleaning products and cosmetics, as well as from tyres.
All environmental systems have been examined to date and microplastics were found in all of them, including the UK’s river sediments.
Allen was surprised to find them in remote areas of the Pyrenees. He said that the area is usually considered pure.
“The threat from atmospheric microplastic pollution is causing researchers to examine areas that were previously beyond plastic’s reach.
Dr Allen stated that a key element to understanding this global problem is to understand the transport range.
They are found in the “free troposphere”, the lowest part of Earth’s atmosphere. This shows that they have the potential to travel farther than we thought.
Dr Allen said, “It also indicates potential danger to the environment and human health because of absorbed chemicals or bacteria or virus being carried long distances into pristine places and vulnerable areas.”
Nature Communications published the findings.
HOW CAN YOU DISCUSS THE SPREAD OF MICROPLASTICS AND THE IMPACT IT HAS ON YOUR BUSINESS?
According to the World Health Organisation, 2019’s report “Microplastics In Drinking Water” outlines many research areas that can shed light into how widespread this problem is and what we can do to prevent it from reaching our waterways.
What is the prevalence of microplastics in your country?
This research will clarify whether microplastics are present in freshwater or drinking water sources.
- To assess the human exposure to microplastics from drinking water, more data is needed.
- To determine the number, shape, size, and composition, microplastics, studies must be quality-assured. It is important to determine whether the microplastics come from the freshwater environment, the extraction, treatment, distribution, and bottling or bottling. In the beginning, they should concentrate on water that is most vulnerable to contamination by particulates.
- The data needed to determine the sources of freshwater would help supplement the drinking water studies. The development of reliable methods that track and identify origins may be required.
- For sampling and analysis of microplastics found in fresh and drinking water, a set of standards is required.
- The knowledge gaps surrounding nanoplastics and their effects on the aqua environment are significant. To address this problem, standard sampling methods and analysis of nanoplastics are needed.
Are there any health risks associated with microplastics
Water treatment is effective at removing particles but there are not enough data to identify microplastics. These data gaps regarding water treatment must be filled in order to assist with human health risk assessments and management options.
- Further research is required to determine the fate of microplastics in different water and wastewater treatment systems (such clarification and oxidation), under different operational conditions, such as optimal and suboptimal operations and the impact of particle shape, size and chemical composition on the removal efficacy.
- We need to be able to identify the role of particle composition in water treatment and distribution. Consider the roles of microplastic breakdown in water treatment systems and abrasion from the process itself.
- After standard nanoplastics removal methods are developed, more information is required to better understand their presence in water and wastewater.
- It is important to understand how turbidity and particle counts relate to microplastic concentrations during treatment.
- To understand how microplastics could be returned to the environment by sludge or other waste streams, research is necessary.
To better understand microplastic-associated biofilms and their significance, the following research could be carried out:
- Further studies could be conducted on the factors that influence the composition and potential specificity of microplastic-associated biofilms.
- Researchers could also examine the factors that influence biofilm formation on plastic surface, microplastics included, as well as how they vary between plastic materials and which organisms are more likely to bind to plastic surfaces when used in freshwater systems.
- It is possible to conduct research to understand how microplastics can transport pathogenic bacteria over longer distances, as well as the rate at which they are degraded in freshwater systems.
- Researchers could examine the possibility of horizontal transmission of antimicrobial resistance genes within plastisphere microorganisms in comparison to biofilms such as those found at WWTPs.
Water treatment can stop microplastics getting into our water supplies
Water treatment is effective at removing particles but there are not enough data to identify microplastics. These data gaps regarding water treatment must be filled in order to assist with human health risk assessments and management options.
- It is important to continue research in order to better understand how microplastics behave under various wastewater treatment conditions (e.g. clarification and oxidation), and what the effects of different operating circumstances are on their removal efficacy.
- We need to be able to identify the role of particle composition in water treatment and distribution. Consider the roles of microplastic breakdown in water treatment systems and abrasion from the process itself.
- Once standard techniques for nanoplastics have been developed, it is important to gain more knowledge about the existence and removal of these nanoplastic particles from water and wastewater treatment.
- It is important to understand how turbidity and particle counts relate to microplastic concentrations during treatment.
- To understand how microplastics could be returned to the environment by sewage and other waste streams, research is necessary.
