A blow to the liver: how micropastic penetrates food

2024 Author: Seth Attwood | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 15:55

Why are synthetic particles dangerous for the planet? There are plastic microparticles in all the seas of the Northern Sea Route. First of all, this concerns the Barents and Kara Seas.

During the scientific expedition "Transarctic-2019", scientists discovered microplastics in all seas of the Northern Sea Route. Specific figures promise to be made public later, but now, as soon as these fragments of synthetic polymers are not called: "silent killer", "invisible problem", "Trojan horse" … The more you read, the more it seems that everyone will die on Earth, and microplastics will remain … What kind of "beast" it is, how dangerous it is, and whether it is possible to fight with it - Izvestia figured out.

Floats with the flow

There are plastic microparticles in all the seas of the Northern Sea Route. First of all, this concerns the Barents and Kara Seas. However, there is also ordinary garbage without the "micro" prefix: bottles, bags and other plastic waste, which are carelessly dumped from passing ships.

For the first time the term "microplastic" sounded about 15 years ago from the lips of Professor Richard Thompson, but we noticed white particles of plastic drifting in the water back in the 1970s. Special features: size - up to 5 mm in diameter, does not decompose, is easily carried away by the current. In 2017, the International Union for Conservation of Nature recognized plastic particles as the main pollutant of the ocean.

Collection of plastic waste in the Arctic

Two years later, microplastics, as scientists put it, will "hit the liver" - it will be found in the Lancaster Strait (the ice probably moved a year ago from the central Arctic). The researchers believed that "this isolated stretch of water in the Canadian Arctic is relatively safe from drifting plastic pollution." Naive.

“How did he get there in the 70 years of the plastic era? We only started producing plastic in the 1950s, and it is already everywhere,”says Irina Chubarenko, oceanologist, Doctor of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, head of the Marine Physics Laboratory of the Atlantic Branch of the Institute of Oceanology of the Russian Academy of Sciences in an interview with Izvestia. - While "plastic science" is at the stage of geographical discoveries. The bulk of publications on the topic of microplastics boils down to the fact that "they found it here, there it is, there is such a concentration."

Plastic garbage on the coast of one of the islands in the Arctic

Scientists from the RAS Institute of Lake Science and the Russian State Hydrometeorological University have seen microplastics in a liter of water from Lake Ladoga and its tributaries. Ordinary plastic has already been noticed at the bottom of the Mariana Trench - the American explorer Victor Veskovo sank to a depth of almost 11 km and … as if he was at home: a piece of a bag and candy wrappers appeared before our eyes. Next time, I probably won't be surprised at a Coca-Cola glass. And where there is plastic, there is close to microplastic.

“You walk along the beach and see a half-decomposed plastic bottle - someone has eaten, broken, worn … But this bottle is a small factory for the production of microplastics,” Aleksey Kiselev, an expert of the Greenpeace Zero Waste project in Russia, told Izvestia. According to estimates by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), plastic accounts for more than 80% of the total waste in the oceans. - How many such bottles are there in the world now? It will all be microplastic."

Plastic trash on the beach of one of the islands in the Indian Ocean

Where does microplastic come from? The number one producer of these particles, according to the ecologist, is car tires. Next - cosmetics. These are miraculous granules in creams, scrubs, lipsticks and other products. This also includes particles of synthetic polymers in toothpastes, detergents, washing powders. There are many of them in clothes (when washing our sweaters, sweaters and dresses made of acrylic, polyester, fleece, 700 thousand microplastic fibers are separated).

And, of course, the accumulated plastic waste will give the world mountains of microplastics.

“About 8 billion tons of plastic that float in the environment, rub against each other, stones, rocks, sand - all of this slowly crumbles from large plastic to small plastic and somehow ends up either in water, or in soil, or in agricultural animals and further along the food chain, - explains Alexey Kiselev. - Almost all sea salt samples contain microplastic particles. A huge number of water samples contain plastic fibers, but this is still a one-off study, there is no systematic approach. That is, there is a scientific approach, but it is not paid for, it is not a subject of global scientific thought."

Problems - Trailer

Microplastics can turn into the whole Universe, just some kind of space. For some reason, it attracts representatives of marine flora and fauna: algae, bacteria.

“For some reason they especially love polystyrene, expanded polystyrene. If you take a fragment that has been in the sea, you can see a whole ecosystem: it is all overgrown, inside the passages of some aquatic insects. What is it fraught with? Biologists are wary of this. So far, no scary things have been found, but plastic is very easily transferred, especially by currents in the ocean from Africa to Europe. What microorganisms, what biology, viruses can be brought in? It's not clear,”says Irina Chubarenko.

The scientist explains: plastic itself is absolutely inert, a good durable material - it takes 500-700 years to decompose, and sometimes the range is called from 450 to 1000 years (you know, no one has checked it yet). "Material of the XXI century", as they said in the middle of the XX century.

“Why does he live so long? Nobody needs him! - says the expert. - Only as a carrier, a gatherer, and animals, fish, birds take it for food. Of course, this is not useful. Even worse, when large animals become entangled in marine debris, they die because the stomach is clogged with plastic instead of normal regular food. But plastic itself is just a hydrocarbon, a natural element. That is, man has managed to make such long molecules that now cause concern. When various products are made from plastic, dyes, plasticizers, stabilizing additives against ultraviolet radiation are added to it, that is, many other chemicals that are harmful in themselves."

Remains of an albatross chick that parents fed with plastic garbage

By the way, about the birds. Albatrosses on the islands of the Atlantic Ocean feed their chicks with microplastics: such a beautiful multi-colored mosaic floats by - how not to be tempted? What problems the offspring will have with such a diet is a question. Several years ago, a prediction was made: by 2050, the stomachs of all seabirds will contain microplastics.

“Particles of microplastics are good at taking on various toxicants: organochlorine, organobromine. All of this is moving around the world, forming a new plastisphere,”says a Greenpeace spokesman.

Neatly with leads

The ability of microplastics to easily penetrate the food chain is the most alarming factor for scientists. In 2008, ecotoxicologist at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Mark Brown, examined samples of dried blue mussel blood under a microscope and discovered tiny spots of plastic.

“Ingested microplastic particles damage organs and release dangerous chemicals inside the body, from hormone-damaging bisphenol A (BPA) to pesticides. Such influence violates the protective functions of the body, and also stops the growth and reproduction of cells, "- explains the publication" Hightech "the conclusions of scientists about the potential dangers of microplastics. In general, today in fish, shellfish, and tomorrow - in our stomachs.

Plastic stains in a blue mussel cage

"Potential disorders associated with the absorption of microplastic particles include blockage of the alimentary tract and a corresponding decrease in the intake of food and nutrients into the body, causing exhaustion, disruption of the digestive tract and respiratory organs, death, and toxic effects on the body of high concentrations of toxicants", - explained to "Izvestia" Associate Professor of the Department of Ecology and Biological Resources of the RSHU, Candidate of Geographical Sciences Alexandra Ershova.

Actually, the human body already has microplastics. It was discovered by scientists from the Medical University of Vienna in the excrement of eight volunteers. Microparticles of polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and other plastics were identified in the "sent Cossack". Subjects reported eating food packed in plastic and drinking water from plastic bottles. Six people ate sea fish.

“The question is: did all the microplastics come out? He came out all and all the toxic substances that were on it? Or did it not come out completely? Or did it come out completely, and the toxic substances remained in the person? - Aleksey Kiselev, as it were, asks Austrian scientists. They do not know yet, but they are already worried that small particles can get not only into the stomach, but also into the blood, lymph, and liver.

Rumor has it that microplastics can cause cancer … Frightened? Exhale. Till.

Biofilm on a model of a human hand showing how bacteria multiply even after antimicrobial treatment

“While there is no mortal danger to mankind, it has not been confirmed, but it is necessary to study further. In this aspect, there is more ambiguity than any specific facts. About a cancerous tumor - this is still fiction, - says Irina Chubarenko. - Since there are many questions where microplastics can be dangerous, there is a lot to check: under different conditions, for different microorganisms, with different duration of its stay in the environment. When beautiful, smooth plastic enters the environment, it quickly becomes rough, cracks, and microorganisms settle there. It attracts toxins that are dangerous to humans and animals. The possible consequences are very diverse, there are definitely no useful ones among them."

Microplastic, the scientist specifies, even outdid its parent - plastic. It has a wide variety of properties that change over time.

“We are not yet able to simulate either the transfer of plastic or its accumulation, because we do not know its normal properties. A particle hit the ocean yesterday, today it has grown, tomorrow it was carried by the current to where the ice is, and how such a particle behaves in such different environmental conditions, we do not yet know at all. As we understand, then it will be possible to talk about how to get rid of it. Therefore, the people are still telling where he saw, what he saw and how it is possible to explain it. Against this background, of course, there are a lot of excesses”.

Useful "degradation"

Meanwhile, the anti-plastic movement is gaining momentum around the world, because it is impossible to look at polluted beaches, forests, photographs of turtles, fish, and fur seals entangled in bags. In the spring in the Philippines, they found a dead whale - the poor fellow had 40 kg of plastic bags in his stomach.

“An important trend is that they prohibit disposable tableware and plastic bags. Many states penalize sellers and manufacturers. This is a good move. Because if in medicine it is not necessary to completely get rid of plastic, then from disposable tableware, bags in everyday life - why not. We used to live without it,”recalls Irina Chubarenko.

Dead whale with 40 kg plastic bags found in its stomach

In 2021, the European Union will enter into force a ban on the sale of disposable plastic tableware, ear sticks and straws for drinks. The Prime Minister of Canada announced a ban on bags, cutlery, plates and straws. New Zealand recently ditched plastic bags. On September 11, the President of India called on the people to go out to clean the streets of plastic waste, and by 2022 the government plans to completely get rid of single-use plastic.

“We have created a problem for ourselves. I don’t know how the manufacturers are set up, but in general the state and the government are very tough. Probably, they will raise taxes on production, on containers, so that at the same time everything that we need for further processing is included in the price of this container, says the oceanologist. The head of the Ministry of Natural Resources spoke out about the need to abandon plastic dishes (he even instructed to calculate the terms and conditions of refusal), similar conversations were going on within the walls of the State Duma, but so far it has not come down to specific bills.

At the same time, scientists are racking their brains over how to deal with the waste that is already there. For example, feed them to microorganisms. In the spring, Japanese molecular biologists discovered a bacterium that feeds on lavsan and other types of plastic. The gluttonous Ideonella sakaiensis, scientists say, decomposes its lunch into water and carbon dioxide. Chews slowly - six weeks.

“Now there is a very rapid development of science towards another plastic - plastic, which will be friendly to nature, not so long-lived, biodegradable. It can be decomposed by ultraviolet light or some microorganisms. Still, biodegradation is still a publicity stunt. Therefore, such plastic can be decomposed to some smallest fragments (not natural), but under strict conditions: a certain pressure, temperature, duration. And for this such "good plastic" needs to be assembled. But what if it goes all over the world? - says Irina Chubarenko. - The biggest step in this direction: they began to produce plastic bags that decompose after a year of lying in the compost heap (due to the introduction of elements into a long plastic molecule that break it into pieces). A large bag decomposes … into microplastics. And so far this is the greatest achievement."

Boy collects plastic trash on the coast of the Philippines

Or maybe, well, him, this plastic? Refuse and that's it.

“In principle, it will not be possible to give up anything, because it is an important element of our life,” says the ecologist. - In modern toxicology, chemistry, environmental chemistry, and in general in global environmental protection, it is clearly stated: to solve the problem, we will use the precautionary principle. If we believe that it can be dangerous, then we must protect the human race from this as soon as possible."

Explains figuratively: you need to slowly close the "plastic" tap that fills our bathtub, and pull out the plug, because the water is already pouring over the edge.

“We can dramatically reduce our plastic consumption by simply removing the disposable and switching to reusable. This is the first thing. Second, if we process reusable products according to the principle “product into product”, and not “product - polymer sand tiles,” explains Aleksey Kiselev.

The expert gives an example that at one time, to put it mildly, surprised him. “There is one wonderful factory that consumes a lot of PET bottles - clean, good, high quality. But the problem is that this PET bottle factory makes PET film - sushi trays and so on. And we ask: "Do you process so many tons of PET bottles, and then collect the pallets?" “No, we only need a PET bottle. Pallets already have a different viscosity - only in a landfill or let someone else collect it. " And this is the problem, because it is never recycling. There should be a bottle from the bottle. From an ear stick - an ear stick. Can't you? Don't produce."