Birds Can Be Drawn to the Scent of Plastic

Over the vast plains of the open ocean, where wave lines may be the only markers, seabirds, including albatrosses, manage to find food.

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Well, no. It’s not the direct scent of plastic.

Plastic in the ocean has algae grow on it. That algae dies and rots. It has a specific “ocean rotten” smell as it rots (dimethyl sulphide – I’m sure you’ve noticed that smell when at the seaside). That chemical attracts small animals (eg: krill) to eat the rotting algae. Also birds (and fish), who come to eat the krill and other organisms.

Michael V said:

Well, no. It’s not the direct scent of plastic.

Plastic in the ocean has algae grow on it. That algae dies and rots. It has a specific “ocean rotten” smell as it rots (dimethyl sulphide – I’m sure you’ve noticed that smell when at the seaside). That chemical attracts small animals (eg: krill) to eat the rotting algae. Also birds (and fish), who come to eat the krill and other organisms.

Most bit not all plastics are very good substrates for organic growth, bacterial, algal and fungal growth under appropriate water and biofood conditions, that’s because they’re made of organic materials. Exceptions include chlorinated plastics like PVC. They grow algae, for example, better than rocks and ice.

Michael V said:

Well, no. It’s not the direct scent of plastic.

Plastic in the ocean has algae grow on it. That algae dies and rots. It has a specific “ocean rotten” smell as it rots (dimethyl sulphide – I’m sure you’ve noticed that smell when at the seaside). That chemical attracts small animals (eg: krill) to eat the rotting algae. Also birds (and fish), who come to eat the krill and other organisms.

Most bit not all plastics are very good substrates for organic growth, bacterial, algal and fungal growth under appropriate water and biofood conditions, that’s because they’re made of organic materials. Exceptions include chlorinated plastics like PVC. They grow algae, for example, better than rocks and ice.

I used to eat plastic, soft plastics are good to eat, nice and chewy.

I was amused that the main plastic taken from the stomachs is sea animals at Lord Howe Island is the small plastic tags used to tie up helium balloons. Who would imagine that party balloons would be the deadliest contribution to water pollution.

mollwollfumble said:

Michael V said:

Well, no. It’s not the direct scent of plastic.

Plastic in the ocean has algae grow on it. That algae dies and rots. It has a specific “ocean rotten” smell as it rots (dimethyl sulphide – I’m sure you’ve noticed that smell when at the seaside). That chemical attracts small animals (eg: krill) to eat the rotting algae. Also birds (and fish), who come to eat the krill and other organisms.

Most bit not all plastics are very good substrates for organic growth, bacterial, algal and fungal growth under appropriate water and biofood conditions, that’s because they’re made of organic materials. Exceptions include chlorinated plastics like PVC. They grow algae, for example, better than rocks and ice.

don’t some plastics have something in them that can mimic estrogen, remember something about it way back in NS

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xenoestrogen

Most fish food has something in it that can mimic estrogen, like other fish.