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Most consumer products are packaged in plastic. This plastic is often then disposed of in landfill or littered, very little is recycled. It is estimated that 2.5 billion tonnes of marine waste was produced in 2010, of which 99.5 million tonnes are plastic (Jambeck et al., 2015). With up to ca. 4200kg of plastic waste per day entering the ocean through water ways; although this can only truly be stated for the rivers studied by Jambeck et al. (2015) because watershed characteristics vary locally. Furthermore these authors have predicted that the input of plastics worldwide will increase tenfold by 2025. Moore (2008) reported that the presence of plastics in the ocean has resulted in at least 8 negative implications, including entanglement, ingestion and pollutant storage. A review by Gall & Thompson (2015) found that, across 340 separate publications, a total of 693 species were affected by marine debris. 76.5% of these studies recorded the presence of plastic debris and 92% of the individual organisms encountering debris ingested plastic pieces. Ingestion of plastics has been documented in both invertebrates and vertebrates
Furthermore, plastics become fragile through exposure to UV radiation, oxidation, hydrolysis and through contact with the seabed, fracturing into progressively smaller fragments (Moore, 2008), eventually being classified as microplastics (<5mm) (Lusher et al., 2013; Wright et al., 2013; Castañeda et al., 2014). Microplastics comprise two types: those designed primarily to be small in size; and those of secondary origin, degraded from larger sources. Both types are widely bioavailable (Wright et al., 2013; Castañeda et al., 2014). Smaller plastics are more available to lower trophic organisms and can also be eaten by high trophic level organisms as a result of normal feeding rather than selectively. As well as size, density and colour can all play a role in the bioavailability of microplastics (Wright et al., 2013).
Although Morritt et al. (2014) quoted that 239 tons of rubbish were removed from the Thames in 2012 and provided evidence for large amounts of plastics moving sub-surface in the river, little is known about the effects this pollutant has on the local biota.
Fyke nets and a trawl were used to sample fish from three sites in the Thames: Erith, Southend and Thamesmead. Ten species have been collected. Fish are then dissected and the alimentary canals removed. The gut is then searched with pins under a dissection microscope. Any plastic pieces recovered from the gut is stored on filter paper in a sealed Petri dish to await FTIR analysis. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy refracts a laser through a diamond and into the sample. Each material produces a 'fingerprint' of absorbance as different wavelengths of light are absorbed in different amounts. These absorbance spectra are compared to a library of known materials, including plastics such as nylon and polyester.
Research is needed to assess the impact of plastics once they have entered the food chain and how far they can travel through the food chain. The harmful chemicals that plastics absorb in the water can be transported into the tissue of organisms that ingest plastic and thus can also travel through the food chain. These chemicals have potential impacts for human health.
The Independent
PLA Cleaner Thames Campaign
FindAMasters.com Application video
During my final year of undergraduate study, I volunteered on two occasions with a local charity called EcoTales. The charity ran craft activities at two Royal Holloway hosted events that teach kids about recycling and looking after the planet. At the Royal Holloway Science Festival 2015, EcoTales created a 'plastic jungle' but cutting bottles to make flowers. During this event, I presented my undergraduate research project to the public. Later that year, EcoTales attended the Magna Carta Festival on campus. On this occasion the title was 'the monster we made', highlighting how plastic litter can make its way into the sea where it is eaten by a range of animals. To promote recycling and safe use of plastic, kids created fish, jellyfish and sea turtles using bottles and carrier bags. The case of turtles and jellyfish is perhaps one of the best known examples of plastic impact on wildlife. Carrier bags float in the water column. This floating action greatly resembles that of jellyfish and thus bags are often ingested by turtles. An evolutionary adaptation of the turtle to aid in ingestion of jellyfish is a series of backward facing spines which prevent the jellyfish escaping. Unfortunately, this now means that turtle choke on carrier bags.
It's a plastic world - English from It's a plastic world on Vimeo.