microplastics

Microplastics 101: Everything You Need to Know

Microplastics 101: Everything You Need to Know

Quick Key Facts We use a lot of plastic.  Since the 1950s, more than 8.3 billion tons of plastic has been produced by humans. All in all, only 9% of these plastics have actually been recycled, and the rest has either been incinerated or landed up in landfills — and, in many cases, in the […]

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    Viruses Can Remain Infectious on Microplastics for Three Days

    Viruses Can Remain Infectious on Microplastics for Three Days

    New research has discovered another way that microplastic pollution might harm human health.  The study, published in Environmental Pollution, is the first to prove that certain viruses can stay infectious by attaching themselves to plastics in a freshwater environment.  “We found that viruses can attach to microplastics, which allows them to survive in the water […]

    Scientists Develop Robotic Fish That Consumes Microplastics

    Scientists Develop Robotic Fish That Consumes Microplastics

    One of the dangers posed by microplastic pollution in the oceans is that fish and other marine life might eat it by mistake. But could a solution to the problem involve a robot designed to consume it on purpose? Researchers at Sichuan University in China have developed a proof-of-concept for a robotic fish that can […]

    Okra Goo: The New Secret Weapon in the Battle Against Microplastics

    Okra Goo: The New Secret Weapon in the Battle Against Microplastics

    Scientists have a new weapon in the fight against microplastics, and it’s something you probably wouldn’t expect: okra goo. Turns out, what makes the insides of okra slimy also cause it to bind to tiny plastic particles. If commercialized and added to existing water treatment procedures, use of the plant extract could result in wide-ranging […]

    ‘Breakthrough’ Study Finds Microplastics in Human Blood

    ‘Breakthrough’ Study Finds Microplastics in Human Blood

    There may be microscopic pieces of plastic water bottles or shopping bags floating around in your bloodstream. A study published in Environment International Thursday found microplastics in human blood for the first time. Furthermore, the tiny pieces of plastic were found in nearly 80 percent of the people tested.  “Our study is the first indication […]

    Tire Particle Pollution May Be Harming Freshwater and Estuary Ecosystems

    Tire Particle Pollution May Be Harming Freshwater and Estuary Ecosystems

    Tiny particles that rub off of tires are likely harming freshwater and coastal estuary ecosystems, a pair of recent studies from Oregon State University (OSU) found.  The first study, published in Chemosphere last month, found that exposure to tire particles had harmful effects on organisms from coastal estuaries, while the second, published in the Journal […]