Part of the great difficulty in tracing the path of plastic pollution through the environment is the processes that break it down into tiny pieces along the way, such as the corrosive forces of ocean currents or ultraviolet light. Recently, scientists have begun to uncover evidence of how the digestive systems of certain animals can play a part in this process, with the latest concerning a small crustacean that can turn microplastics into “nanoplastics” in just four days.
“We have found that the freshwater amphipod, a small crustacean, called Gammarus duebeni is able to fragment microplastics into different shapes and sizes, including nanoplastics, in less than four days,” says study leader Dr Alicia Mateos-Cárdenas. “Whilst this species lives in Irish streams, they belong to a bigger animal group of invertebrates commonly found around the world in freshwaters and oceans. Our finding has substantial consequences for the understanding of the environmental fate of microplastics.”
HOWEVER
These findings mirror those of another study published back in April, which found that some lobsters can grind plastic fragments down into smaller pieces before they are released into the ocean. These kinds of revelations combined with other research into how small plastic particles can cause aneurysms and reproductive changes in fish, paint a concerning picture of how this plastic pollution poses a threat to all kinds of marine species.
MEANING
It will also enter our food chain.