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Microplastics from textiles damage lung cells, finds study

Envirotec Magazine

Microplastics from textiles may inhibit the lung’s ability to repair damage caused by conditions such as COVID-19, according to research findings released on 24 February. With humans exposed to microplastic fibres on a daily basis, scientists also warned of the potential health risks for those with developing lungs, such as children.

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Record high amount of microplastic found on seafloors

Inhabitat - Innovation

Everybody knows that microplastics pose a huge threat to our oceans. A new study shows that this plastic problem has reached a record high.

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Study maps human uptake of microplastics across 109 countries

Envirotec Magazine

Indonesians eat more microplastics per month than any other country, said the study, with most of it coming from seafood (image credit: raulbaldean / Shutterstock.com). That is a 59-fold increase in daily microplastic consumption from 1990 to 2018, the date range used for the models. grams per month, while the lowest is Paraguay at 0.85

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Using microbes to remove microplastics

Envirotec Magazine

Researchers at Hong Kong Polytechnic University have developed a seemingly new technique to trap and recover microplastics. The method uses bacterial biofilms, a sticky substance created by micro-organisms, to trap microplastic particles. In bioreactors, this makes the microplastics more convenient to collect, according to Liu.

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How old is that microplastic? A new way to estimate the age of microplastics in the upper ocean

Envirotec Magazine

Researchers have developed a new way to estimate the age of microplastics found in the upper oceans. The method involves a combination of analyzing plastic oxidation levels with environmental factors such as UV exposure and ambient temperature. As plastic waste is exposed to the elements they eventually break down and fragment.

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Boiling tap water helps remove microplastics, says study

Envirotec Magazine

Nano- and microplastics are seemingly everywhere — water, soil and the air. While many creative strategies have been attempted to get rid of these plastic bits, one unexpectedly effective solution for cleaning up drinking water, specifically, might be as simple as brewing a cup of tea or coffee. Image credit: Eddy Zeng.

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Next UK prime minister must ban microplastics, says drainage group

Envirotec Magazine

The UK’s next prime minister should ban manufacturers from intentionally adding microplastics to consumer or professional use products, according to a new environmental campaign from the drainage experts at Lanes Group plc. Microplastic particles measure less than 5mm and are incorporated into a wide variety of consumer products.