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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.
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
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.
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.
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.
Geoscience technology firm CGG has conducted a microplastics pollution survey as part of a scoping study into whether it would be possible to create a “Plastic Free zone” on Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon). This workflow can be used to calculate the volume, size and shape of plastic particles within a sample.
Bristol based microplastic technology company Matter is launching Gulp, “the first sustainable, long-lasting washing machine microfibre filter” on Kickstarter from 11 October. and recycling of microplastics, and says it is focused on “cradle-to-cradle solutions”, with a mission to stop microplastic pollution at source.
The last decade has seen some progress with studying plastic pollution, but there are still significant challenges, such as a lack of comparability of reported results, especially when it comes to microplastic particles. River landscape in Pantanal, Brazil. We measure particle size in all samples.
By Ria Devereux , PhD Student, Microplastic Pollution, University of East London, writing in The Conversation. However, our research found discarded face coverings and other personal protective equipment (PPE) are likely to be the cause of a rise in microplastics entering the environment. That works out to an average of 17.6
Microplastics have become so widespread that they have been discovered in fresh Antarctic snow. Something as seemingly innocent as Halloween decorations or gum can be a source, says Sulacpac, a producer of bio-based alternatives for conventional plastics. However, typical plastic waste isn’t the only source of microplastics.
Surface cracks and biofilms on plastic particles might help spread pollution Concerns about microplastic pollution arise not only because of the particles themselves, but also from whatever cargo they might be carrying. Sukhbaatar Square in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia (image credit: takepicsforfun / Shutterstock.com).
A research project investigating the problem of microplastics in inland waters has been using a tube pump from Watson-Marlow Fluid Technology Group (WMFTG), in a system where samples are taken automatically at programmed intervals. The procedure must also exclude the potential for samples to become contaminated by other plastic particles.
Microplastics (plastic particles under 5mm) are a widespread environmental pollutant, with more than 120trillion estimated to have accumulated in the global ocean. Upon entering the environment, microplastics are rapidly colonized by diverse microbial communities, forming what is known as the Plastisphere.
Line for washing shredded PET plastic at a recycling facility. Australian researchers have identified a new, or previously overlooked, culprit in the release of microplastics into the environment: The shredding process used to recycle plastics. They subsequently discussed this in a commentary published in Science.
Where there's hope for speeding up business action on plastics. Its landmark report, "The New Plastics Economy," sounded the alarm in 2016 that if "business as usual" continues, by 2025 the ocean may hold more plastic than fish by weight. Only five years ago, few corporate leaders had plastic pollution on their official radar.
Recent studies reveal that tiny pieces of plastic are constantly lofted into the atmosphere. These particles can travel thousands of miles and affect the formation of clouds, which means they have the potential to impact temperature, rainfall, and even climate change.
A research group in Japan has demonstrated that airborne microplastics adsorb to the epicuticular wax on the surface of forest canopy leaves, and that forests may act as terrestrial sinks for airborne microplastics The study used a new technique to measure the levels of microplastics adhering to the leaves.
The microplastic pollution that turns up in landfill leachate has received much less attention than the stuff appearing in wastewater, and there seem to be far fewer studies exploring it. According to the OECD, in 2019, 50% of the world’s plastic waste was landfilled, 19% was incinerated, 9% was recycled and 22% was mismanaged.
Understanding why climate change might contribute to increasing plastic pollution is the focus of a new research project starting this month at the University of Portsmouth. Until now, studies have concentrated solely on microplastics shedding from brand-new plastics.
Plastic pollution in the ocean may serve as a source for novel antibiotics, according to a new student-led study conducted in collaboration with the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. The researchers incubated high and low density polyethylene plastic (the type commonly seen in grocery bags) in water near Scripps Pier in La Jolla, Calif.
The world is producing twice as much plastic waste as two decades ago, with the bulk of it ending up in landfill, incinerated or leaking into the environment, and only 9% successfully recycled, according to a new OECD report. Almost half of all plastic waste is generated in OECD countries, according to the Outlook.
Wastewater treatment fails to kill several human pathogens when they hide out on microplastics in the water, reports a new study appearing in the open-access journal PLOS ONE. Wastewater treatment plants are designed to remove contaminants from wastewater, but microplastics persist and can become colonized by a sticky microbial biofilm.
scientists sounded the alarm on a then-underappreciated problem: the breakdown of plastic litter into small, even microscopic, fragments. While many previous reports had documented the buildup of plastic bottles and bags in the natural environment, much less attention had been paid to what the scientists dubbed “microplastics.”
A recent paper in PLOS One presents evidence of dolphin inhalation of microplastics. What first drew you to study microplastic inhalation in dolphins, and why did you choose to investigate this topic? Because of this, dolphins are exposed to various harmful chemicals found in the environment, including plastic, which is everywhere.
No human organ is safe from microplastic contamination, it seems — not even the testicles. Researchers at the University of Mexico recently tested 70 samples of testicular tissue — 47 from dogs and 23 from humans — and found microplastics in every single one. So how do the microplastics get into people’s bodies?
The government needs to make an immediate decision on banning plastic in wet wipes in order to help tackle this sewage-based pollution ending up in the River Thames, environmental charity Thames21 has urged. Most contain plastic in them and because of this they can cause blockages which back up sewage that spills into the River Thames.
Dr Rosa Busquets is Associate Professor in Analytical Chemistry and Forensics at Kingston University What are microplastics, why are they such a problem and what can be done to reduce the pollution they cause? From studies involving organisms, we know that microplastics can cause inflammation, which is a common step in many diseases.
Independently verified research by Swedish water technology firm Bluewater has apparently verified the efficiency of its water purifier technology at removing up to 99.99% of health threatening microplastics and chemicals such as toxic PFAS from tap water.
Methods for the analysis of microplastic particles in a sample (of water) are beset by challenges such as high error rates and a high time requirement. The chemical characterization of the microplastic particles is based on their absorption of infrared light. Near-surface analysis.
Microplastics are a pathway for pathogens on land to reach the ocean, with likely consequences for human and wildlife health, according to a study from the University of California , Davis. The study, published in the journal Scientific Reports, is the first to connect microplastics in the ocean with land-based pathogens.
The research seemed to highlight strong links between the degree of urbanisation in the river catchment and observed river microplastic concentrations. Published in Water Research , the research highlights the impact of water management in terms of river diversions for irrigation purposes on microplastic transport.
Scientists at Plymouth Marine Laboratory (PML) have launched a series of in-situ trials of what they describe as a unique microplastic clean-up method using mussels as filtration systems. Microplastics are the tiny plastic fibres and particles prevalent in our seas.
A scanning electron microscope shows how the microplastic particles are attached to the nanocellulose structure. The diameter of the plastic particles is 100 nanometers. million particles of microplastics. The method provides a way to catch microplastic particles of a size that the human eye cannot detect.
A new study sheds light on the quantity and type of microplastics present in clouds. The researchers analyzed cloud water samples from high-altitude mountains in Japan to ascertain the amount of microplastics in them. Microplastics in the free troposphere are transported and contribute to global pollution,” said Okochi.
New laboratory capabilities include microscopy techiques to better support the examination of microplastics. RECOUP currently test members’ plastic packaging samples for sortability at a Materials Recovery Facility, free of charge to members as a benefit of membership.
Want to know how much plastic is entering the ocean every year? But there’s an even more puzzling question for researchers who study plastic in the ocean: Where has it all gone? But there’s an even more puzzling question for researchers who study plastic in the ocean: Where has it all gone?
When you think of plastic pollution, you might imagine ocean “ garbage patches ” swirling with tens of millions of plastic bottles and shopping bags. But unfolding alongside the “macroplastic” pollution crisis is another threat caused by much smaller particles: microplastics. So where do microplastics come in?
Polyethylene terephthalate (PET, used in bottles and food containers, was one of the most common sources of microplastic identified in the study (image caption: Kevin Doncaster , CC BY 2.0 A potential link between microplastics and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) has been flagged up by a scientific study released in late December.
Microplastics are a pathway for pathogens on land to reach the ocean. The study, published today in the journal Scientific Reports, is the first to connect microplastics in the ocean with land-based pathogens. It can lead to consequences for human and wildlife health, according to a study from the University of California, Davis.
Environmental scientists at The James Hutton Institute have launched the first nation-wide drug and microplastics test on Scotland’s rivers to help shed light on the increasing mix of pharmaceuticals, chemicals and plastics entering our waters. The River Dee (image credit: The James Hutton Institute).
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