Microplastics

If microplastics have boundaries, we don't yet know what they are. We seem to find this microscopic trash everywhere we look, from the bottom of the ocean to Earth's highest peak.  We're starting to figure out why. Beyond all the disturbing discoveries of microplastics turning up inside our bodies, we now know these tiny fragments can travel in the air, floating through the atmosphere, at least until they get stopped by something.In a new study, scientists made use of an ingenious method for tracking this insidious air…

David Merron Photography | Moment | Getty ImagesScientists have found microplastics in fresh snowfall in Antarctica for the first time, highlighting the extent of global plastic pollution as even the most remote regions experience contamination.Researchers from the University of Canterbury in New Zealand gathered samples of snow from 19 different sites in the Ross Ice Shelf in Antarctica and discovered plastic particles in all of them, according to a report published this week in the journal Cryosphere.Most of the…

The ongoing discovery of microplastics in remote, seemingly pristine corners of the world continues to add important detail to a troubling picture of widespread pollution, and the latest finding takes the threat into new terrain. In freshly fallen snow in the Antarctic scientists have uncovered the first evidence of microplastics, which presented in even higher concentrations than previously reported in the surrounding seas.As scientists expand the scope of their studies into the spread of plastic waste, tiny fragments of…

Microplastics continue to infiltrate even the most remote parts of Earth. New research has identified tiny bits of plastic in the continent’s snowfall, likely arriving there from local sources, according to the team. These particles could enter the Antarctic food chain, while dark-colored microplastics may even speed up the melting of snow.Researchers from the University of Canterbury in New Zealand analyzed 19samples of freshly fallen snow, taken from the top 2 centimeters (0.78 inches) of the Ross Ice Shelf in…

While we know where the plastics came from, the origin of this particular tar wasn’t clear. But generally speaking, whenever oil spills, it floats around and partially evaporates, thickening over time into tar balls, which then wash ashore. It’s basically super-toxic Play-Doh. “Once it gets stuck to the rock, the wave brings microplastics or any litter and pushes it into this Play-Doh,” says Hernández-Borges. “Microplastics arrive constantly, constantly, constantly. The microplastics that we're finding in the tar are the…

Oldenburg researchers study spider webs to track plastic particles in the air. Credit: University of Oldenburg/Daniel Schmidt Flies, mosquitoes, dust and even microplastics—spider webs capture whatever travels through the air. Researchers at the university have now for the first time tested if they can get an overview of plastic particles in the air by examining the eight-legged creatures' catch.…

Because they feed by filtering seawater, mussels are particularly vulnerable to pollutants present within that water. According to new research, it now looks like waterborne microplastics could keep the molluscs from growing to their regular size.For the recent study, a team from Australia's RMIT University started by collecting Mytilus galloprovincialis mussels from Port Phillip Bay, near the city of Melbourne. Those mussels were placed in tanks in a lab, in which the water contained various concentrations of microscopic…

Microplastics are fragments of any type of plastic that are less than 5 mm (0.20 in) in length.Microplastics are small plastic pieces less than five millimeters long which can be harmful to our ocean and aquatic life.Plastic is the most prevalent type of marine debris found in our oceans and Great Lakes. Plastic debris can come in all shapes and sizes, but those that are less than five millimeters (0.2 inches) in length (or about the size of a sesame seed) are called “microplastics.”Did you know?Microplastics can come…

The sludge that is created through sewage treatment processes is rich in nutrients like phosphorous and nitrogen, making it an excellent source of fertilizer for agriculture. But not all that it contains is good for the environment, with a new study demonstrating how the material acts as a vehicle for huge amounts of tiny plastic fragments to enter soils, so much so the authors suggest Europe's farms could be acting as the world's largest reservoir for microplastics pollution.Sewage sludge serves as an appealing and…

The way plastic moves through the environment and endangers living organisms is of great concern to scientists, and a first-of-a-kind study has unearthed disconcerting new information on both these fronts. The authors have demonstrated that the type of plastic particles shed through laundry cycles and use of cosmetic products can carry pathogens far out to sea and endanger marine life, reshaping natural food webs as a result.The study was carried out by scientists at University of California, Davis and focuses on what are…