Microplastic Traces Leaching Into Food Chain

Plastic Debris Known as Microplastic a concern for ecologists

Microplastic, a substance that can be traced back to the washing of synthetic garments is beginning to accumulate in the marine environments of the world. In recent studies these microplastic traces are believed to be leaching in to the food chain, creating a new cause for alarm. In this article we will take a look at these newest findings and what they mean to you.

What Are Microplastics?

‘Microplastics’ is a term being used to refer to the tiny fibers that are released in to the water supply each time some synthetic clothing garments are washed. Research suggests that washing a single garment made from synthetic material could release as many as 1900 tiny microfibers with each wash. These microplastics might be tiny, measuring around 1mm per fiber, but they are still finding their way in to the water system and making an impact.

Why Are Microplastics Significant?

Many people ask why microplastics are significant if they are so tiny to begin with. The fact of the matter is that although these fibers are incredibly tiny, they still pose a risk as they find their way in to the food chain when eaten by marine animals.

The Study of Microplastics on Our Shores

Dr. Mark Browne, an ecologist based out of the University of California in Santa Barbara began the study of microplastics when he and his colleagues began to take a detailed look at the different types of plastic found in the environment. The analysis of these plastics revealed that some eighty percent of them were comprised of smaller pieces of plastic and that prompted Dr. Browne and his associates to trace where they came from. As Dr. Browne began his study it wasn’t long before he found that traces of the small plastics were beginning to find their way in to the food chain as they were eaten by marine animals.

The “Processing” of Microplastics

Dr. Browne found that as animals consumed the microplastics from their marine environment the small pieces of plastic were moved from their stomachs in to their circulatory system. As the microplastics found their way in to the circulatory system they then began to accumulate in the animal’s cells.

How widespread is the Microplastics Problem?

 Dr. Browne was interested to see just how widespread the problem of microplastic consumption was along the shorelines of the world and so his team of researchers began collecting samples. Samples from eighteen different beaches around the globe were taken with beach locations including the United Kingdom, Singapore and India. To Dr. Browne’s amazement there was not one single beach sample collected that did not show evidence of microplastic contamination. Dr Browne adds that the majority of the fibers that were found were analyzed and found to contain polymers common to synthetic materials like nylon, acrylic and polyester. Dr Browne’s study also found that concentrations of these synthetic fibers seemed to be highest in areas that were the closest to large cities and this sparked the doctor’s research in to where these microplastics were originating from.

Studying the Origin of Microplastics

Dr Browne wanted to look further in to the origin of the microplastics that seemed at their highest content in waters close to city centers and so he set up an experiment. Dr Browne called a local authority in New South Wales in Australia to ask about the proportion of plastics in their water. The Australian authority confirmed that the levels of plastics in their water were consistent with Browne’s findings. With this information Browne began to test the waters that came out of washing machines to see just what they contained.

What Did Browne Find Through His Studies?

Browne ran single synthetic fiber garments through a single washing cycle in a washing machine and found that some garments in particular released incredible amounts of synthetic fibers in to the water runoff. One of the most amazing findings was that some polyester based clothing items released as many as 1,900 individual fibers. What makes this finding so incredible is that rarely is a single garment washed alone and rarely is a single garment washed once during its lifetime. This indicated that through the regular washing cycle habits of most households, the buildup of synthetic fibers and consequently microplastic residue can reach mind blowing levels.

Why Aren’t these Microplastics Filtered From the Water?

As microfibers are released in the runoff water from washing machines many people question why they are not removed prior to water being released in to the general water system. When water passes through a treatment facility despite the fact that it is filtered and even cleaned by tiny bacteria that consume any remnants of sewage before the water passes through a settling tank. After water runs out of the settling tank through an outfall pipe it is then transferred in to the ocean or local rivers. The problem with the microplastics that are released in to the water system is that the tiny fibers are so small at less than one single millimeter, that they are able to pollute the natural waters that they eventually run off in to.

Why Should We Be Concerned About Microplastics?

There are numerous reasons why we should concern ourselves with the presence of microplastics in our marine waters. One of the biggest concerns as pointed out in this study is the transference of microplastics from the world’s marine ecosystems in to the animals within them. As these animals consume microplastics that build up within their bodies they are not only at risk for various health conditions but they also put humans at risk that depend upon marine life as a major food source. Whether your main concern is the dying out of a particular species due to poisoning by microplastics, or whether it is the potential for you to ingest these small synthetic fibers, the fact remains that something needs to be done and the change starts with you.