What are Microplastics? 

When someone throws away plastic it ends up sitting somewhere else, in landfills, oceans, etc. While it lays there it becomes exposed to elements such as weathering. As this process occurs, the plastic begins to break down into smaller pieces of plastic, eventually becoming microplastics. These are called Primary Microplastics. When items are made from microplastics such as clothing, they are called Secondary Microplastics. 

Microplastics are tiny pieces of plastic that normally range around 5 millimeters or less in size. For comparison, 5 millimeters is equivalent to 0.19685 inches. They are a combination of carbon and hydrogen atoms that are tied together by polymer chains. These small pieces of plastic that range in shape, size, and density can find themselves in almost everything including baby bottles, frozen dinners, and table salt. 

Microplastics and Marine Life 

Every year around 14 million tons of plastic enter the ocean. The more plastic that comes in means more microplastics in our waters. These micro pieces get into the mouths of marine life affecting the whole ecosystem. The particles can get trapped inside animals resulting in injuries, or death. 

Marine Snow 

How do microplastics end up in the stomachs of marine life? In the ocean, there is floating debris of carcasses, plants, and other organic matter. Many creatures feed off of this “marine snow” and incorporate it as part of their diet. All the plastic that is being pushed by waves and being introduced to the water through domestic runoff causes small microplastics to end up getting tangled in the marine snow. Once ingested by fish, lobsters, and other creatures, they end up in their stomachs creating many health issues. Some common effects plastic can have on them are causing growth delays, preventing normal food intake, and oxidative damage. 

Zooplankton 

Zooplankton in particular is in danger due to microplastics. They have been tested to ingest many microplastics which cause them to lose their ability to feed. Zooplankton holds an important role in the life cycle of the ecosystem by being the primary consumers of the food chain. As a result, all marine life is affected by them being in danger. Nature is a very delicate system so an issue created in one organism can ripple into a large problem for all organisms. 

Microplastics and People 

Scientists have proven that humans commonly ingest microplastics. Living in a world that relies on plastic daily has consequences that we are now all facing. Microplastics are in our drinks and foods which bring them into our bodies. What are the effects of having plastic in our system? There is not much conclusive research yet, but it has been scientifically tested in animals. They have seen that some microplastics can enter the bloodstream and move to other parts of the body. When researching this in rats, they found microplastics in the small intestine, kidney, heart, and stomach. In humans, it has been hypothesized that the ingestion of microplastics could cause information, oxidative stress, DNA damage, and other health problems. 

How Many Microplastics are Humans Consuming? 

While there is not a significant amount of research available currently, in a study it was estimated that in 2019, the average American citizen consumed anywhere from 74,000 to 121,000 particles of microplastics. It was proven that plastic water bottles showed the highest levels of microplastic intake with on average 100 microplastics per liter. Plastic tea bags and baby bottles were also shown to release millions of particles. 

Can Ingesting Microplastics Be Avoided? 

It would be impossible to entirely avoid exposure to microplastics but, there are things we can do to reduce it. 

Some ways to lower consumption of it are: 

Staying away from seafood 

Microplastics are seen in 386 species of marine life. These particles can move into their muscle so by reducing the consumption of seafood, fewer microplastics are likely to go into someone’s system. 

Refrain from Teabags 

Teabags have been tested to release 11.6 billion microplastics. Luckily, there is a simple alternative to reduce this by using loose-leaf tea with reusable linen bags. Enjoy tea without all the plastic. 

Buying reusable water bottles

Plastic water bottles release billions of microplastics. Nestle Pure Life water bottles have been shown to contain the most microplastics. By purchasing reusable bottles not made from plastic, we reduce particles from entering our system. 

There is still a lot of research that needs to be done to fully understand the effects microplastics have on marine life and humans. While we wait for more studies to be conducted, the best course of action to take is to try to reduce the consumption of items containing high amounts of particles and reduce single-use plastic to help marine life.