Plastic is already everywhere: in the water supply system and Antarctica

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

The abundance of plastic in the ocean is a long-standing problem. New research indicates that there is even more of this material in water than was previously known. Scientists analyzed the composition of tap water from 14 countries around the world and found that 83% of the samples contain traces of microplastics.

Most of the plastic is found in tap water from the United States, Lebanon and India. In European countries, plastic is less common in water - only 72% of samples. The average number of plastic particles in the United States was 4.8 per 500 milliliters of water, while in Europe it was 1.9 per 500 milliliters.

Where does the plastic in water come from? According to scientists, the particles end up in the water after washing synthetic items, they are secondary waste (plastic packaging, dishes). Also, microparticles of car tires, microparticles of paint, which cover roads, houses, ships, get into the water.

It turns out that people consume plastic not only with seafood (many fish have long been eating plastic or eating plankton, which also eats plastic), but also directly with water from the mains.

“Plastic is a constant part of our daily diet. Plasticizing additives, such as bisphenol A or phthalates, which disrupt the endocrine system, are “washed out” of the plastic; fire retardants and toxic heavy metals that are adsorbed in our bodies,”explains North Carolina State University professor Scott Belcher, a spokesman for the US Endocrinological Society.

The study of tap water for plastic content was commissioned by the independent journalist organization Orb Media, and staff from the Universities of Minnesota and the State University of New York at Fredonia took part in the work.

Microplastics litter Antarctica

The level of microplastics particles accumulating in Antarctica is much higher than expected, the team of experts warned

The Antarctic continent is considered relatively pristine and pollution-free compared to other regions. However, new data from scientists from the University of Hull and the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) have shown that recorded levels of microplastics are five times higher than would be expected from local sources such as research stations and ships.

Microplastics are particles less than 5 mm in diameter found in many household items such as toothpaste, shampoo, shower gels, and clothing. They can also be the result of the destruction of plastic debris in the ocean.

New research points to a greater likelihood of plastic penetration from outside the region through the Antarctic Circumpolar Current, historically considered nearly impassable.

“Antarctica is considered an isolated, untouched desert. Its ecosystem is very fragile and at risk from pollution: whales, seals and penguins consume krill and other zooplankton as a major component of their diet. Our research highlights the need for a coordinated effort to monitor and assess microplastic levels around the Antarctic continent and the Southern Ocean,”notes lead author Dr. Catherine Waller, an expert in ecology and marine biology at the University of Hull.

The Southern Ocean covers about 8.5 million square miles and makes up 5.4% of the world's oceans. The region is increasingly threatened by fisheries, pollution and invasive species, while climate change is increasing sea temperatures and ocean acidification. Now plastic waste has been added to this list.

Microplastics enter the oceans through sewage and the destruction of plastic debris. It accumulates in surface and deep ocean waters and in deep sea sediments. Tests have shown that a single polyester / fleece shirt can lose more than 1,900 fibers per wash, while about half of the discarded plastic floats in seawater and is susceptible to UV degradation and degradation. More than half of research stations in Antarctica do not have wastewater treatment systems, the study said.

It is estimated that up to 500 kg of microplastic particles from personal care products and up to 25.5 billion clothing fibers enter the Southern Ocean per decade from tourism, fishing and research. While this is not very significant on a Southern Ocean scale, the researchers say it could be significant on a local scale.

“Our understanding of the sources and fate of plastics in these waters is limited at best. Given the small number of people present in Antarctica, direct injection of microplastics from wastewater is likely to be below detectable limits at the Southern Ocean scale. However, the decay of larger pieces of plastic and the infiltration of debris into the Southern Ocean through the polar front may be major contributors to the high levels of microplastics recorded in some areas of the open ocean,”explained co-author Dr. Haw Griffiths.

Their work represents a first step towards recognizing the presence of microplastics in Antarctica, the scientists said, and calls for international efforts to monitor the situation while it is in its earliest stages.

The research is published in the journal Science of the Total Environment.