Collaborate Disseminate
When we hear about microplastic particles polluting the ocean, the usual suspected sources are degraded consumer plastic goods and synthetic textile fibers from washing machines. A new study, however, suggests that much of the blame lies with protectiv… Continue reading Study points to ship hull coatings as a major source of microplastic pollution
One of the problems with microplastics pollution is the fact that the plastic particles are very small, and thus difficult to trap or neutralize when widely dispersed in water. That’s why a new technique is being developed to eliminate them at their so… Continue reading New technique converts microplastics into CO2 and H2O
Recent studies have shown just how far plastic pollution can travel when it is broken down into tiny fragments, with these so-called microplastics turning up everywhere from the Arctic to the Antarctic, and in human stool all around the world. A new st… Continue reading Aerosol samples above the ocean reveal microplastics spread by the wind
Microplastics are starting to turn up in all kinds of places, from the heights of Mount Everest, to the sea ice in the Antarctic, to the organs and tissues of the human body. In an effort to better understand how these tiny fragments of plastic are abs… Continue reading Waterborne microplastics grow bio-coatings to sneak into living cells
As tiny waste products measuring up to just a few millimeters in size, microplastics are an insidious form of plastic pollution that is incredibly difficult to trace, but scientists are gaining a clearer picture of how far-reaching its presence is. The… Continue reading Highest microplastics ever found lie near the summit of Mt Everest
While we know that huge amounts of plastic waste are generated each day, and that much of it is broken down into tiny fragments called microplastics, we don’t really know much about the risks they pose to animals and humans. With this in mind, scientis… Continue reading New technique reveals the plastics we consume with a plate of seafood
Part of the great difficulty in tracing the path of plastic pollution through the environment is the processes that break it down into tiny pieces along the way, such as the corrosive forces of ocean currents or ultraviolet light. Recently, scientists … Continue reading Common crustacean turns microplastics into “nanoplastics” in days
For some time now, there have been concerns that microplastic particles eaten by fish could be passed along to human seafood consumers. According to a new study, though, such may not be the case with sea bass, and possibly not with many other fish.Cont… Continue reading If you don’t want to eat microplastics, sea bass may be the way to go
While we may think of car exhaust as being a major source of air pollution, automobile tires also hugely contribute to microplastics pollution. A new vehicle-mounted device could help, by gathering the rubber particles that those tires shed.Continue Re… Continue reading Prototype device gathers microplastics from car tires
The impact of plastic on the many species that call the ocean home is a huge unknown, but scientists are starting to piece together the kinds of risks this pollution poses to the marine ecosystem. The latest finding in this area concerns a common seafo… Continue reading Mussels that clump together in reefs may ingest triple the plastic