Water is life, right? It sustains us, on our planet. But our relationship with water could hardly be more out of balance. Specifically, in regards to our oceans, the harm far outweighs the good. Probably one of the greatest stuns from all of this is through the rise of microplastics—those tiny particles under 5 millimeters in length that have now turned out, remarkably, to be carriers for hazardous pathogens.
Scientists now warn that these microplastics act as rafts to many pathogenic bacteria, viruses, and other microorganisms. Researchers unveiled the stunning fact that this might be more concerning than people had ever imagined. The research explains how such small plastic particles act to carry paths in water, both fresh and sea-based.
Why care? These pathogen-laden plastics present a direct threat to marine life. These particles attract the fish and other aquatic fauna, who take them for food, ingest, and consequently suffer serious health effects — usually death. Now comes the really worrying angle for us humans: a recent study by Oregon State University’s Marine Mammal Institute that dredged up microplastics in fish we commonly consume. If these plastics carry bacteria and viruses, then we’re eating them too. Pretty scary thought, right?
Secondly, plastic trash does not remain there. In addition to that, in a far more reversed and complex way, it brings across huge oceanic distances coastal species, hence creating new ecological imbalances, which includes the fact that animals soaked in hazardous microorganisms don’t become confined to particular regions, hence adding another layer to the problem.
What is being done to counter this? Well, in fact, according to the lead author of the study, researchers would work on delineating the role of microplastics in the transmission of pathogens. This research will provide a basic core for public health policy and environmental management strategies related to microplastic pollution. For that, we need far-greater monitoring efforts and expanded studies related to how microplastics contribute to pathogen transmission and associated health risks.
You can, too. Act independently. Help with election endorsements of candidates for office at any level, who seriously address the environmental issues in campaigns or service; cut single-use plastics now. None of this will add to or detract from the mammoth task ahead but will together keep more plastics out of our oceans.
But step back a bit if you will. You might have seen those idyllic beaches littered with plastic bottles or ocean creatures trapped in the carrier bags. It is, however, in what we can’t easily see that the real danger lurks: the trillions of tiny pieces of plastic floating in our oceans, colonized by harmful microorganisms.
This is described visually by retired professor of ecotoxicology Dick Vethaak: “We have introduced a completely new niche of substrates used as a homeland for distinct microorganism communities. I refer to this as a plastic time bomb, the ground for the next pandemic.” Now, that is frightening.
Plastic Trash Now Litters Every Corner of the Marine Environment—Bits Frozen in Arctic Ice to Bags Fluttering on Deepest Ocean Floors Much of it comes from land, transported by rivers and wind and waves, then ground into bits by sunlight.
Moreover, the opportunity to divert into plastic production from energy opens up before the fossil fuel industry. “The industry sees plastics as their plan B: if they can’t use fossil fuels as an energy source, then they will use it for plastic products,” warns Bethanie Carney Almroth, a professor of ecotoxicology at the University of Gothenburg. “We have too much plastic: the planet and human societies cannot tolerate more.”
Another level of the problem is that so-called “plastisphere”—the term coined by marine microbiologist Linda Amaral-Zettler to describe the layers of microorganisms found on plastic samples from major oceanic currents. These plastispheres have, in turn, created wholly new habitats for microbes that can potentially move dangerous species far outside of their typical geographic ranges.
That means, researchers say, up to 30 times more concentrations of disease-causing Vibrio bacteria in shellfish and humans were present on plastics than in the surrounding waters. And it gets worse: some studies have identified these plastispheres as capable of harboring antibiotic-resistant bacteria, otherwise known as “superbugs,” which are able to survive much longer on plastic than when free-floating. Imagine superbugs catching a ride on plastic particles and ending up in the seafood we eat. Not a nice picture.
The team is currently assessing for microplastic contamination levels in fish muscles and is working alongside fishery industries. At this point, things get really complicated, however. Actually, it is yet to draw out the clear picture of how these contaminants affect human health. One way to mitigate some risks is through a process called depuration, where seafood is placed in clean water to purge contaminants from their digestive systems prior to consumption.
Next in line is the invisible threat of microplastic pollution, which is ticking. There will only be deepening into a crisis where there is no global concerted action on plastic pollution. Bottom line: it’s not about keeping an ocean tidy; it’s a health mission and preserving delicate balances of the ecosystem.
One of the researchers studying microplastics puts it best: “If all the health problems associated with plastic water bottles were reflected in their price, then one bottle would cost a consumer at least 100 euros. At least you would think twice before throwing it.”
