Microplastics

Microplastics Latest News

Weather conditions, especially continuous rainfall, drive microplastics into city lakes, a new study reports.

About Microplastics

• Microplastics are small pieces of plastics, usually smaller than 5 mm.
• They are present in a variety of products, from cosmetics to synthetic clothing to plastic bags and bottles. Many of these products readily enter the environment as wastes.
• Microplastics consist of carbon and hydrogen atoms bound together in polymer chains. 
• Other chemicals, such as phthalates, polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), and tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA), are typically also present in microplastics, and many of these chemical additives leach out of the plastics after entering the environment.
• They are persistent, very mobile, and hard to remove from nature. 
• There are two categories of microplastics: primary and secondary.
  • Primary microplastics are tiny particles designed for commercial use, such as cosmetics, as well as microfibers shed from clothing and other textiles, such as fishing nets. 
  • They enter the environment directly through any of various channels—for example, product use, unintentional loss from spills during manufacturing or transport, or abrasion during washing.
  • Secondary microplastics are particles that result from the breakdown of larger plastic items, such as water bottles. 
  • This breakdown is caused by exposure to environmental factors, mainly the sun’s radiation and ocean waves.
• Impacts:
  • Once in the environment, microplastics do not biodegrade and tend to accumulate and persist.
  • They can be ingested by marine organisms, leading to potential harm to aquatic life and bioaccumulation along the food chain.
  • They can also carry toxic chemicals and pollutants, posing additional risks to organisms and ecosystems.

Source: TOI

‹ ›