Nanoplastics – Pacific Northwest Consortium and the Marine Studies Initiative

Marine litter comes in all shapes and sizes. But it may be the smallest particles, invisible to the naked eye, that threaten aquatic life and humans the most.

Environmental toxicologists Stacey Harper and Susanne Brander from Oregon State University and their team at the Pacific Northwest Consortium on Plastics are looking beyond the macro- and micro-plastics to the nano-scale particles known as nanoplastics. These particles are so small that they could be ingested as nutrients at the larval level of species such as oysters, which we directly consume, and by plankton, which are then consumed by fish and marine mammals. Research indicates that two of the biggest sources of these sneaky microplastic hazards may be particles from rubber tires and fibers from synthetic clothing, these larger microplastics could potentially break down to the nano-scale in the environment.

More information:
pnwmicroplastics.org
nanolab.oregonstate.edu
https://today.oregonstate.edu/news/osu-researchers-use-33-million-nsf-grant-study-impacts-tiny-plastics-aquatic-life

Видео Nanoplastics – Pacific Northwest Consortium and the Marine Studies Initiative канала OSU Marine and Coastal Opportunities