“Microplastics”
Microplastics are very small pieces of plastic
that pollute the environment. According
to the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) microplastics
are less than 5mm in length. Other plastics are internationally designed to be
small, they are called microbeads. Microbeads are tiny pieces of
polyethylene plastic added to health and beauty products. Microplastics
are not biodegradable.
Microplastics consist of Carbon and Hydrogen atoms bound together in polymer chains. Other chemicals such as Phthalates, Polybrominated biphenyl ethers (PBDE s) and tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) are typically also present in microplastics.
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There are two
types of Microplastics.
Ø Primary Microplastics
Ø Secondary Microplastics
There are countless sources of both primary and secondary
microplastics.
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Primary Microplastics
Primary microplastics fibres enter to the environment
from the washing synthetic clothes. Such as polyester, nylon etc…Did you think
washing clothes may affect to the future? I know even you can’t believe.
Do you know usually some companies have used
microplastics (microbeads) to produce some tooth pastes, cleansers, and other
cosmetics products? Think, how much of cosmetics you use in daily. Not only you
but also your family also. Think daily consumption of microplastics in the world.
Can you count how much of microplastics may release to the environment? You can’t. Many people talk about the
environmental pollution. But I think all people in the world have released
microplastics to the environment. Isn’t that include to the environmental
pollution?
I think we all have use even toothpastes with
microplastics.
Anyway on December 28.2015, president Obama signed to the
microbeads free waters act of 2015, banning plastic microbeads in cosmetics and
personal care products. But microplastics are still a huge problem.
Also primary microplastics release from plastic pellets which
is used in industrial manufacturing.
Some microplastics scrubbers using at machinery, engines,
and boat hulls to remove rust and paint.
v Secondary
Microplastics
Form from the breakdown of larger plastics. Such as wave
action, Wind abrasion and ultraviolet radiation from sunlight.
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What will happen to the Live Organisms?
Microplastics also are a source of air pollution,
occurring in dust and airborne fibrous particles. The health effects of microplastics
inhalation are unknown.
Aquatic life and birds likely to eat which are floating
on the water surface. That foods will be exactly contaminated with
microplastics. So they mistaking the plastic bits for food.
By 2018, in marine
and freshwater ecosystems combined, microplastics had been found in more than
114 aquatic species. Microplastics have been found lodged in the digestive
tracts and tissues of various invertebrate sea animals, including Crustaceans
such as crabs, fish and birds. The ingestion of microplastics can cause aquatic
species to consume less food and therefore to have less energy to carry out
life functions and it can result in
neurological and reproductive toxicity.
Think
about what will happen to us after consuming fish and other aquatic organisms.
Anyway entire
cycle and movement of microplastics in the environment is not yet known. But
research is currently underway to investigate this issue.
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How to overcome?
·
There are some campaigns
conducting for raising awareness of plastic pollution and encouraging reuse,
and recycling of plastics.
·
Can ban the microbeads containing
cosmetic products.
·
Remediation of microplastics
already in the environment.
Strategies under investigation included the
use of microorganisms capable of breaking down synthetic microplastic polymer.
A number of bacterial and fungal species possess biodegradation capabilities,
breaking down chemicals such as polystyrene, polyester, polyurethane and
polyethylene. Such microorganisms potentially can be applied to sewage waste
water and other contaminated environment.
Any way you
can reduce the microplastics in the earth.
Follow,
Reduce Reuse Recycle |
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| References | |||
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