Microplastics found in 'heavily contaminated' Arctic ice algae, posing threat to food chains

[Stevicus]

Microplastics found in ‘heavily contaminated’ Arctic ice algae, posing threat to food chains - UPI.com

Algae that grow under sea ice in the Arctic have been found to be "heavily contaminated" with microplastics, posing a threat to humans through the food chain, according to a new study from researchers in Germany.

www.upi.com

"The filamentous algae have a slimy, sticky texture, so it potentially collects microplastic from the atmospheric deposition on the sea, the seawater itself, from the surrounding ice and any other source that it passes," Deonie Allen, of the University of Canterbury and Birmingham University, who is part of the research team, said in a news release.

Fish, such as cod, dine on the algae and are in turn eaten by other animals including humans, passing along a "variety of plastics" including polyethylene, polyester, polypropylene, nylon and acrylic that have been detected throughout human bodies.

So, the fish eat the algae with plastic, and the fish are eaten by humans who also end up eating plastic.

"People in the Arctic are particularly dependent on the marine food web for their protein supply, for example through hunting or fishing," Melanie Bergmann, a biologist who led the study, said in a statement.

"This means that they are also exposed to the microplastics and chemicals contained in it. Microplastics have already been detected in human intestines, blood, veins, lungs, placenta and breast milk and can cause inflammatory reactions, but the overall consequences have hardly been researched so far."

The study said that clumps of dead algae also transport the microplastics "particularly quickly" into the deep sea, which explains "high microplastic concentrations in the sediment," another key finding of the new study.

"We have finally found a plausible explanation for why we always measure the largest amounts of microplastics in the area of the ice edge, even in deep-sea sediment," Bergmann said.

The researchers said in the release that, until now, scientists only knew that microplastics, which concentrate during the formation of sea ice, were released into the surrounding water when the sea ice melted.

"The speed at which the alga descends means that it falls almost in a straight line below the edge of the ice. Marine snow, on the other hand, is slower and gets pushed sideways by currents so sinks further away," Bergmann said.

"With the Melosira taking microplastics directly to the bottom, it helps explain why we measure higher microplastic numbers under the ice edge."

Bergmann added that research has shown that reducing the production of more plastic is the most effective way to reduce plastic pollution.

I knew that plastic pollution has been a growing problem, although I hadn't heard about such heavy concentrations in the Arctic.

George Carlin once quipped of the possibility that the entire reason for humanity to be on Earth was to make plastic.

It astounds me how much plastic we have all around us. If we have to ban plastic bags at the store, I can understand that, but there's just so much other plastic out there.

 

[Subduction Zone]

Microplastics found in ‘heavily contaminated’ Arctic ice algae, posing threat to food chains - UPI.com

Algae that grow under sea ice in the Arctic have been found to be "heavily contaminated" with microplastics, posing a threat to humans through the food chain, according to a new study from researchers in Germany.

www.upi.com

So, the fish eat the algae with plastic, and the fish are eaten by humans who also end up eating plastic.





I knew that plastic pollution has been a growing problem, although I hadn't heard about such heavy concentrations in the Arctic.

George Carlin once quipped of the possibility that the entire reason for humanity to be on Earth was to make plastic.

It astounds me how much plastic we have all around us. If we have to ban plastic bags at the store, I can understand that, but there's just so much other plastic out there.

Plastic bags at stores are just a beginning. We may have to go back to small paper bags for our produce. Half of the time I do not even bag it any longer. The only produce that I do use bags for is the wet stuff. Cauliflower, broccoli, etc. If it gets sprayed with water it is still going into plastic.

 

[We Never Know]

Microplastics found in ‘heavily contaminated’ Arctic ice algae, posing threat to food chains - UPI.com

Algae that grow under sea ice in the Arctic have been found to be "heavily contaminated" with microplastics, posing a threat to humans through the food chain, according to a new study from researchers in Germany.

www.upi.com

So, the fish eat the algae with plastic, and the fish are eaten by humans who also end up eating plastic.





I knew that plastic pollution has been a growing problem, although I hadn't heard about such heavy concentrations in the Arctic.

George Carlin once quipped of the possibility that the entire reason for humanity to be on Earth was to make plastic.

It astounds me how much plastic we have all around us. If we have to ban plastic bags at the store, I can understand that, but there's just so much other plastic out there.

"Microplastics are present in both tap water and bottled water. A study showed that an average of 325 plastic particles were found in a liter of bottled water as compared to 5.5 plastic particles per liter of tap water, according to Sherri Mason, a Penn State researcher. Microplastics are consumed by aquatic life and bioaccumulate in the food chain, traveling all the way from filter feeders to apex predators. We consume toxin-saturated microplastics in seafood such as mussels but likely consume more microplastics in food via dust fallout from the air."

Microplastics in Our Waters, an Unquestionable Concern

Microplastic pollution is not a new problem. However, in recent years, the public has become more aware, and scientists are studying the seriousness of the situation.

extension.psu.edu

 

[Stevicus]

"Microplastics are present in both tap water and bottled water. A study showed that an average of 325 plastic particles were found in a liter of bottled water as compared to 5.5 plastic particles per liter of tap water, according to Sherri Mason, a Penn State researcher. Microplastics are consumed by aquatic life and bioaccumulate in the food chain, traveling all the way from filter feeders to apex predators. We consume toxin-saturated microplastics in seafood such as mussels but likely consume more microplastics in food via dust fallout from the air."

Microplastics in Our Waters, an Unquestionable Concern

Microplastic pollution is not a new problem. However, in recent years, the public has become more aware, and scientists are studying the seriousness of the situation.

extension.psu.edu

It may get to the point where humans have so much accumulated plastic that we'll turn into Stretch Armstrong.

 

[Heyo]

Microplastics found in ‘heavily contaminated’ Arctic ice algae, posing threat to food chains - UPI.com

Algae that grow under sea ice in the Arctic have been found to be "heavily contaminated" with microplastics, posing a threat to humans through the food chain, according to a new study from researchers in Germany.

www.upi.com

So, the fish eat the algae with plastic, and the fish are eaten by humans who also end up eating plastic.





I knew that plastic pollution has been a growing problem, although I hadn't heard about such heavy concentrations in the Arctic.

George Carlin once quipped of the possibility that the entire reason for humanity to be on Earth was to make plastic.

It astounds me how much plastic we have all around us. If we have to ban plastic bags at the store, I can understand that, but there's just so much other plastic out there.

:informative:

 

[Heyo]

Microplastics found in ‘heavily contaminated’ Arctic ice algae, posing threat to food chains - UPI.com

Algae that grow under sea ice in the Arctic have been found to be "heavily contaminated" with microplastics, posing a threat to humans through the food chain, according to a new study from researchers in Germany.

www.upi.com

So, the fish eat the algae with plastic, and the fish are eaten by humans who also end up eating plastic.





I knew that plastic pollution has been a growing problem, although I hadn't heard about such heavy concentrations in the Arctic.

George Carlin once quipped of the possibility that the entire reason for humanity to be on Earth was to make plastic.

It astounds me how much plastic we have all around us. If we have to ban plastic bags at the store, I can understand that, but there's just so much other plastic out there.

When yeast has a limited space to thrive in, like a bowl or a bottle, it produces alcohol (yeast ****) until it poisons itself (or runs out of sugar).
Our bowl is the Earth and we **** all over the place - until we poison ourselves.

 

[Twilight Hue]

Plastic bags at stores are just a beginning. We may have to go back to small paper bags for our produce. Half of the time I do not even bag it any longer. The only produce that I do use bags for is the wet stuff. Cauliflower, broccoli, etc. If it gets sprayed with water it is still going into plastic.

With paper it's just going to turn into "Save the rainforest all over again".

 

[Subduction Zone]

With paper it's just going to turn into "Save the rainforest all over again".

Except it is fast growing trees for wood pulp that are used to make paper. Not rain forests.

 

[Twilight Hue]

Microplastics found in ‘heavily contaminated’ Arctic ice algae, posing threat to food chains - UPI.com

Algae that grow under sea ice in the Arctic have been found to be "heavily contaminated" with microplastics, posing a threat to humans through the food chain, according to a new study from researchers in Germany.

www.upi.com

So, the fish eat the algae with plastic, and the fish are eaten by humans who also end up eating plastic.





I knew that plastic pollution has been a growing problem, although I hadn't heard about such heavy concentrations in the Arctic.

George Carlin once quipped of the possibility that the entire reason for humanity to be on Earth was to make plastic.

It astounds me how much plastic we have all around us. If we have to ban plastic bags at the store, I can understand that, but there's just so much other plastic out there.

It even gets more cringy....

MSN

I'm starting to wonder If its the cause of all these people going psychopathic these days?

I mean lead in hats. = Madhatter disease

Plastic in brain= mad ape rampages