Microplastics — One of our Biggest Threats

Despite its size, microplastics have become the worst threat of plastic pollution. /Depositphotos

Microplastics are pieces of plastic less than 5 millimeters long. Products such as body wash, toothpaste or exfoliants contain microplastics. Its small size makes it hard to detect, therefore there is no current accurate measure of its reach. However, we do know that its size allows it to infiltrate seamlessly into our environment and enter our oceans.

A report by The Pew Charitable Trusts’ found that in 2016, four sources of microplastics alone accounted for 1.3 million metric tons of total ocean plastic pollution. Another study conducted by Dr Seelawut Damrongsiri, a researcher at Chulalongkorn University’s Institute of Environmental Research, in Thailand discovered microplastic contamination in varieties of salt. These research data prove how widespread microplastic contamination and how us humans are unknowingly consuming it in our diet.

On a lighter note, scientists have shown that most microplastics only remain in the guts of the fish and do not move into their muscle tissue, the part of the fish which is mostly eaten. However, over time these MICROplastics will become NANOplastics and practically become invisible. These pieces of nanoplastic will be able to penetrate cells and move into tissues and organs which may be present in the fish we eat.

Bibliography

Aung, M. T., & Ek, F. (2021, February 15). Microplastics: from ocean to table. SEI. https://www.sei.org/featured/microplastics-from-ocean-to-table/

Lau, W., & Murphy, M. (2021, March 30). Microplastics Are a Big—and Growing—Part of Global Pollution. PEW. https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/articles/2021/03/30/microplastics-are-a-big-and-growing-part-of-global-pollution

Royte, E. (n.d.). We Know Plastic Is Harming Marine Life. What About Us? National Geographic. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/article/plastic-planet-health-pollution-waste-microplastics

What are microplastics? (2021, February 26). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/microplastics.html