Harry Shearer has been doing a radio show for nearly 40 years. I've been listening to it off and mostly on for nearly as long. Shearer is the bassist Derek Smalls in Spinal Tap, and voices a number of characters on The Simpsons; he's been in many other things as well. "Le Show (https://harryshearer.com/le-show/)" is now also a podcast and available on Shearer's site at the link, for those who enjoy such things.
It's a splendid production: Shearer reads various news items, plays songs and vignettes of his own creation, and plays a few selected cuts of music. I read that and it sounds boring, but you might enjoy it if you give it a chance. One of the recurring news segments is News of Microplastics. Fascinating stuff; part of the world our species has made for itself. This to acknowledge that many of the posts in this thread will be gleaned from Shearer's work. I apologise in advance for the fact that most of the items won't be cheery.
For instance, a paper which shows that microplastics can cross the blood/brain barrier in mammals. In addition, the microplastics appear to cause some apoptosis (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apoptosis) in brain cells.
"Successful identification of the cause and cellular physiology of apoptosis caused by microplastics introduced into the brain" |
EurekAlert (https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/935795)
QuotePlastic waste, amounting to 8 million tons annually, turns into microplastics(MPs) through constant exposure to UV rays and sea waves. These MPs are consumed by lower-level organisms such as plankton, posing a threat to humans at the top of the food chain.
The research team conducted an experiment in which MPs of 2㎛ or less in size were administered orally to mice for 7 days in order to elucidate the hazards of MPs. The team discovered that nano-plastics with the size of 2㎛ or less even passed through the 'blood-brain barrier' that prevents the brain uptake of hazardous substances. It was highly unusual to observe solids such as MPs, passed through the brain-blood-brain barrier.
Additionally, the team also revealed that MPs accumulate in microglial cells in the brain by applying immunohistochemistry. Through the experiments conducted on the MPs of different sizes(0.2㎛, 2㎛, 10㎛), the team was able to confirm that MPs of less than 2㎛ accumulated in the cytoplasm of microglial cells[1] and significantly decreased the cell proliferation ability after several tens of hours. The team explained that microglial cells recognize MPs as an external threat, leading to microglial phagocytosis, which causes apoptosis following changes in cellular morphology.
[Continues . . . (https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/935795)]
The paper (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0048969721058952?via%3Dihub) is behind a paywall.
QuoteAbstract:
The remarkable increase in plastic usage and widespread microplastic (MP) pollution has emerged as a substantial concern today. Many recent studies have revealed MPs as potentially hazardous substances in mammals. Despite several reports on the impact of small MPs in the brain and behaviors in aquatic animals, it is still unclear how small MPs affect the brain and its underlying cellular physiology in terrestrial animals.
In this study, we investigated the accumulation of polystyrene MPs (PS-MPs) in mouse brain after oral treatment using three types of fluorescent PS-MPs of different sizes (0.2,2 and 10 μm). We found that PS-MPs were deposited in microglial cells of the brain. Following differential treatment of PS-MPs in human microglial HMC-3 cells, we identified changes in cellular morphology, immune responses, and microglial apoptosis induced by phagocytosis of 0.2 and 2 μm PS-MPs.
By analyzing the PS-MP-treated HMC-3 cell transcriptome, we showed that PS-MPs treatment altered the expression of clusters of immune response genes, immunoglobulins, and several related microRNAs. In addition, we confirmed alterations in microglial differentiation marker expression with the activation of NF-κB, pro-inflammatory cytokines and apoptotic markers in PS-MP-treated human microglial cells and in mouse brain. Our findings suggest a potential risk of small PS-MPs in microglial immune activation, which leads to microglial apoptosis in murine and human brains.
[¶ added. - R]
We're fucked. Again!
We really have to cut down on plastics use, as well as figuring out how to eliminate a majority of what we've already put out there,
Quote from: Davin on January 05, 2022, 10:42:59 PM
We really have to cut down on plastics use, as well as figuring out how to eliminate a majority of what we've already put out there,
Today I saw flour packaged in a plastic bottle
Quote from: Bad Penny II on January 07, 2022, 12:55:58 PM
Quote from: Davin on January 05, 2022, 10:42:59 PM
We really have to cut down on plastics use, as well as figuring out how to eliminate a majority of what we've already put out there,
Today I saw flour packaged in a plastic bottle
:(
It pains me to know that I am one of the participants in this very real problem.
I have no alternative but to buy Peanut butter in plastic containers, Canadian whiskey in plastic containers, my Broccoli and celery is packaged in thin plastic bags, my automobiles, two of them, have large quantities of plastic parts, when I buy something from Amazon it arrives packaged or at least padded with bubble wrap plastic. Then there are all of those billions of worn auto tires. Auto tires are not entirely plastic, but they do contain some components, including plastics, that are not degradable within our lifetimes.
I fear that we have blithely shit in our own mess kits.
smuckers peanut butter is the last one marketed in glass.
remember when the peanut butter jars werr marked with volume indicators so when they wrre empty you could use them as measuring utensils?
^ Yes, I remember when a lot of the food packaging had some residual home use value. What the hell, I used to resharpen my razor blades.
When I was a kid, I built crystal radio sets using old Gillette double edge blue blades as the detector. Galena crystals worked better but the blades had some mysterious power to detect radio signals. Oatmeal boxes, the round ones, were the perfect shapes for winding the wire coils for the radio.
Tobacco tins for storing different types of little nails, screws etc.
We're soaking in it.
"Microplastics found in human blood for first time" |
The Guardian (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/mar/24/microplastics-found-in-human-blood-for-first-time)
QuoteMicroplastic pollution has been detected in human blood for the first time, with scientists finding the tiny particles in almost 80% of the people tested.
The discovery shows the particles can travel around the body and may lodge in organs. The impact on health is as yet unknown. But researchers are concerned as microplastics cause damage to human cells in the laboratory and air pollution particles are already known to enter the body and cause millions of early deaths a year.
[. . .]
The scientists analysed blood samples from 22 anonymous donors, all healthy adults and found plastic particles in 17. Half the samples contained PET plastic, which is commonly used in drinks bottles, while a third contained polystyrene, used for packaging food and other products. A quarter of the blood samples contained polyethylene, from which plastic carrier bags are made.
"Our study is the first indication that we have polymer particles in our blood – it's a breakthrough result," said Prof Dick Vethaak, an ecotoxicologist at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam in the Netherlands. "But we have to extend the research and increase the sample sizes, the number of polymers assessed, etc." Further studies by a number of groups are already under way, he said.
[Continues . . . (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/mar/24/microplastics-found-in-human-blood-for-first-time)]
A pre-print version of the paper is available--
"Discovery and quantification of plastic particle pollution in human blood" |
Environment International (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2022.107199)
QuoteAbstract:
Plastic particles are ubiquitous pollutants in the living environment and food chain but no study to date has reported on the internal exposure of plastic particles in human blood. This study's goal was to develop a robust and sensitive sampling and analytical method with pyrolysis double shot - gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and apply it to measure plastic particles ≥700 nm in human whole blood from 22 healthy volunteers.
Four high production volume polymers applied in plastic were identified and quantified for the first time in blood. Polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylene and polymers of styrene (a sum parameter of polystyrene, expanded polystyrene, acetonitrile butadiene styrene etc.) were the most widely encountered, followed by poly(methyl methylacrylate). Polypropylene was analysed but values were under the limits of quantification.
In this study of a small set of donors, the mean of the sum quantifiable concentration of plastic particles in blood was 1.6 µg/ml, showing a first measurement of the mass concentration of the polymeric component of plastic in human blood. This pioneering human biomonitoring study demonstrated that plastic particles are bioavailable for uptake into the human bloodstream. An understanding of the exposure of these substances in humans and the associated hazard of such exposure is needed to determine whether or not plastic particle exposure is a public health risk.
Interesting things, maybe even relevant.
"Brazilian biologists 'frightened' at amount of microplastics in Rio marine life" |
Reuters (https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/science/brazilian-biologists-frightened-amount-microplastics-rio-marine-life-2022-03-16/)
QuoteBiologists in Rio de Janeiro studying the presence of microplastics in marine life off the coast of Brazil's postcard city have found that the impact of plastic pollution is far worse than they had feared.
The team of biologists don wetsuits and oxygen canisters to dive into the tropical waters around Rio and sample marine life from the ocean. They then measure the quantity of microplastics found inside the organisms in a laboratory.
Plastic objects which end up in the ocean break down into smaller pieces and can eventually end up inside fish and other creatures, researchers told Reuters.
"I was frightened. I knew I would find some [microplastics] but I never thought it would be that much," said Raquel Neves, a marine biologist at the Federal University of the State of Rio de Janeiro (UNIRIO), who finds the microplastics under a microscope.
[Continues . . . (https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/science/brazilian-biologists-frightened-amount-microplastics-rio-marine-life-2022-03-16/)]
When I went in search of a paper on this study, I came across a video instead. The article at the link below doesn't mention a paper, nor do the notes for the video. On ResearchGate and Google Scholar I found two scientists quoted in the article, but was unable to find anything from them about microplastics. Maybe there is a paper on this that I've failed to find, or maybe it will be published in due course.
"Mini-documentary about scientific study of the marine environment reveals presence of microplastics in sea creatures" |
OceanPact (https://oceanpact.com/en/mini-documentary-about-scientific-study-of-the-marine-environment-reveals-presence-of-microplastics-in-sea-creatures/)
QuoteOn January 26, the Instituto Mar Urbano launched a video called "PlastiTox: A Multi-Integrated Approach to Assessing the Toxicity of Plastic Pollutants to Biota and Coastal Ecosystem Services," as a result of a partnership with UNIRIO and OceanPact to present an unparalleled scientific study about levels of microplastics found in the ocean and in sea creatures off the coast of Rio de Janeiro.
The PlastiTox video was launched in a live online event on the Instituto Mar Urbano's YouTube channel, featuring UNIRIO researchers; the institute's director, Ricardo Gomes; and OceanPact's sustainability director, Fernando Borensztein. After that, the video was posted on all three institutions' social media.
Over the course of three days, the expedition documented in PlastiTox collected samples in Guanabara Bay and around the Tijucas Islands, off the coast of the neighborhood of Barra da Tijuca. The entire project was supported by OceanPact, which provided a manned vessel to help with the research and production of the mini-documentary.
[Continues . . . (https://oceanpact.com/en/mini-documentary-about-scientific-study-of-the-marine-environment-reveals-presence-of-microplastics-in-sea-creatures/)]
It gets better, it must. Maybe some fatal flaw will be found in the study described below. :lol:
"Microplastics increase the toxicity of organic pollutants in the environment by a factor of 10, study finds" |
ScienceDaily (https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/02/220216112233.htm)
QuoteA new study by Tel Aviv University researchers found that in a marine environment, microplastics absorb and concentrate toxic organic substances and thus increase their toxicity by a factor of 10, which may lead to a severe impact on human health. The study was conducted by Dr. Ines Zucker of the School of Mechanical Engineering and the Porter School of the Environment and Earth Sciences at Tel Aviv University, together with Ph.D. student Andrey Eitan Rubin.
The study was recently published in the journal Chemosphere.
[Continues . . . (https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/02/220216112233.htm)]
The paper (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.133212) is behind a paywall.
QuoteAbstract:
High levels of persistent contaminants such as microplastics (MPs) and trace organic compounds (TrOCs) in the aquatic environment have become a major threat on the ecosystem and human health. While MP's role as a vector of environmental TrOCs is widely discussed in the literature, the corresponding implications of the interaction between these two compounds on human health (i.e., their joint toxic effect) have not been illustrated.
Using a TrOCs model (Triclosan, TCS) and primary MPs (polystyrene microbeads), this work evaluates the sorption and desorption potential of TCS and MPs in simulated environmental and cellular conditions, respectively, and estimates the single and joint toxicity of these interactions toward human cells (Caco-2).
Surface functionality of the microbeads highly increased their adsorption capacity of TCS, from 2.3 mg TCS for non−functionalized microbeads to 4.6 mg and 6.1 mg TCS per gram of microbeads for amino- and carboxyl-functionalized MPs, respectively. Using non-functionalized MPs, non-specific "hydrophobic-like" interactions and π-π interactions dominated the sorption mechanism of TCS; however, the addition of hydrogen interactions between functionalized microbeads and TCS increased the microbeads' overall sorption capacity.
TCS was desorbed from both functionalized and non-functionalized MPs when changing from environmental conditions to cellular conditions. Desorption was found to be dependent on the matrix complexity and protein content as well as microbead functionality.
Finally, toxicity tests suggested that while low concentrations of TCS and MPs (separately) have minor toxic effect toward Caco-2 cells, TCS-sorbed MPs at similar concentrations have an order of magnitude higher toxicity than pristine MPs, potentially associated with the close interaction of both MP and TCS with the cells. Overall, this study not only elucidates the role of MPs as a TrOC vector, but also demonstrates a realistic scenario in which co-presence of these environmental contaminants poses risks to the environment and human health.
I came across the story in the previous post on my own, but hat tip to Harry Shearer for the two stories in this post. :toff:
I recall reading about the presence of Microplastics being found in marine life, but I wasn't aware of the direct impact to human health, especially the finding of these Microplastics being found in human blood . This is disturbing indeed.
My fear is that it will be extremely difficult to actually do something about this, especially with regards to possibly regulating plastics in such a way so as to try and limit the impact this type of exposure to not just humans, but all life.
Don't want to bring politics into this, but Republicans here in the US regularly deny climate change, think renewable energy causes cancer, and believe health directives such as eating a more plant-based diet (Vegan) are anti-American, and communistic ideals.
So I worry not enough will be done to try and combat this, regardless of what the science says.
Anyway I do appreciate you turning me on to "LeShow"...I'm enjoying these!
Cool! I should post more of the items from his "News of the Godly" segment. Problem is, they're often even more depressing than the microplastics items. :lol:
Akin to microplastics, our species has done a fair job of dispersing perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) (https://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/topics/agents/pfc/index.cfm) through our environment. Seems that may not have been a great thing. Some goodish news in this thread for once:
"New evidence shows blood or plasma donations can reduce the PFAS 'forever chemicals' in our bodies" |
The Conversation (https://theconversation.com/new-evidence-shows-blood-or-plasma-donations-can-reduce-the-pfas-forever-chemicals-in-our-bodies-178771)
QuoteThere is global concern about PFAS because they have been used widely, are persistent in the environment and accumulate in our bodies over time.
There was no way to reduce the amount of PFAS found in the body – until now.
Our new randomised clinical trial, published in the journal JAMA Network Open, has found regularly donating blood or plasma can reduce blood PFAS levels.
[Continues . . . (https://theconversation.com/new-evidence-shows-blood-or-plasma-donations-can-reduce-the-pfas-forever-chemicals-in-our-bodies-178771)]
The paper is open access:
"Effect of Plasma and Blood Donations on Levels of Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances in Firefighters in Australia" |
JAMA Network Open (https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2790905)
QuoteAbstract--Results:
A total of 285 firefighters (279 men [97.9%]; mean [SD] age, 53.0 [8.4] years) were enrolled; 95 were randomly assigned to donate plasma, 95 were randomly assigned to donate blood, and 95 were randomly assigned to be observed.
The mean level of PFOS [perfluorooctane sulfonate] at 12 months was significantly reduced by plasma donation (–2.9 ng/mL; 95% CI, –3.6 to –2.3 ng/mL; P < .001) and blood donation (–1.1 ng/mL; 95% CI, –1.5 to –0.7 ng/mL; P < .001) but was unchanged in the observation group. The mean level of PFHxS [perfluorohexane sulfonic acid] was significantly reduced by plasma donation (–1.1 ng/mL; 95% CI, –1.6 to –0.7 ng/mL; P < .001), but no significant change was observed in the blood donation or observation groups. Analysis between groups indicated that plasma donation had a larger treatment effect than blood donation, but both were significantly more efficacious than observation in reducing PFAS levels.
So the donees end up with the PFAs in their systems. :???:
More on the PFAS front:
"Scientists find a simple way to destroy 'forever chemicals' — by beheading them" |
Live Science (https://www.livescience.com/pfas-forever-chemicals-broken-down)
QuoteSynthetic compounds known as "forever chemicals" because they never break down in the environment can actually be destroyed — by beheading.
Scientists discovered a simple destruction technique that works on 10 types of these chemicals, known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Researchers hope that the method will expose weaknesses in even more PFAS-class substances, leading to paths for removing these chemicals from drinking water easily and cheaply.
The researchers published their findings in the journal Science (https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abm8868) on Aug. 18.
[Continues . . . (https://www.livescience.com/pfas-forever-chemicals-broken-down)]
Oh yeah, the worms will help us. ;D
"Plastic-eating worms may offer solution to mounting waste, Stanford researchers discover" |
Stanford News Service (https://news.stanford.edu/pr/2015/pr-worms-digest-plastics-092915.html)
QuoteConsider the plastic foam cup. Every year, Americans throw away 2.5 billion of them. And yet, that waste is just a fraction of the 33 million tons of plastic Americans discard every year. Less than 10 percent of that total gets recycled, and the remainder presents challenges ranging from water contamination to animal poisoning.
Enter the mighty mealworm. The tiny worm, which is the larvae form of the darkling beetle, can subsist on a diet of Styrofoam and other forms of polystyrene, according to two companion studies co-authored by Wei-Min Wu, a senior research engineer in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Stanford. Microorganisms in the worms' guts biodegrade the plastic in the process – a surprising and hopeful finding.
"Our findings have opened a new door to solve the global plastic pollution problem," Wu said.
[Continues . . . (https://news.stanford.edu/pr/2015/pr-worms-digest-plastics-092915.html)]
Papers are behind a paywall.
QuoteConsider the plastic foam cup. Every year, Americans throw away 2.5 billion of them. And yet, that waste is just a fraction of the 33 million tons of plastic Americans discard every year. Less than 10 percent of that total gets recycled, and the remainder presents challenges ranging from water contamination to animal poisoning.
The above is misleading. It proposes a dichotomy between recycling and various degrees of doom. There is a third option; burn it for energy. The USA - the example they use - does that, so what percentage of plastic waste gets burned? Would increasing
that bracket be a viable strategy in combatting the problem that the "eternal" plastics present?
Sweden has run out of rubbish to burn to create power. It is importing rubbish now. The up side is the removal of plastic from the system. The down side is this process is far from carbon neutral in that the plastic originates mostly from oil. So a bit of a poison challis.
In a way. Still, we do need energy to keep them proverbial cogs turning. With the electrification of industry and transportation, what reliable short-to-mid term solutions to the increased demand are there, except for coal, oil and gas?
After some at least mildly positive items, back to the prevalent theme of the thread . . .
"How much microplastic do whales eat? Up to 10 million pieces per day, research finds" |
Phys.org (https://phys.org/news/2022-11-microplastic-whales-million-pieces-day.html)
QuoteThe largest animals ever known to have lived on Earth ingest the tiniest specks of plastic in colossal amounts, Stanford University scientists have found.
ublished in Nature Communications, the study focuses on blue, fin, and humpback whales and their consumption of plastic fragments no bigger than a few grains of sand, which are commonly called microplastics. The authors combined measures of microplastic concentrations up and down the water column off the coast of California with detailed logs of where hundreds of whales carrying tracking devices foraged for food between 2010 and 2019.
They found the whales predominantly feed 50 to 250 meters below the surface, a depth that coincides with the highest concentrations of microplastic in the open ocean. The planet's biggest creature—the blue whale—ingests the most plastic, at an estimated 10 million pieces per day as it feeds almost exclusively on shrimplike animals called krill.
"They're lower on the food chain than you might expect by their massive size, which puts them closer to where the plastic is in the water. There's only one link: The krill eat the plastic, and then the whale eats the krill," said study co-author Matthew Savoca, a postdoctoral scholar at Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford's marine laboratory on the Monterey Peninsula.
[Continues . . . (https://phys.org/news/2022-11-microplastic-whales-million-pieces-day.html)]
The paper is open access:
"Field measurements reveal exposure risk to microplastic ingestion by filter-feeding megafauna" |
Nature Communications (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-022-33334-5)
QuoteAbstract:
Microparticles, such as microplastics and microfibers, are ubiquitous in marine food webs. Filter-feeding megafauna may be at extreme risk of exposure to microplastics, but neither the amount nor pathway of microplastic ingestion are well understood. Here, we combine depth-integrated microplastic data from the California Current Ecosystem with high-resolution foraging measurements from 191 tag deployments on blue, fin, and humpback whales to quantify plastic ingestion rates and routes of exposure.
We find that baleen whales predominantly feed at depths of 50–250 m, coinciding with the highest measured microplastic concentrations in the pelagic ecosystem. Nearly all (99%) microplastic ingestion is predicted to occur via trophic transfer. We predict that fish-feeding whales are less exposed to microplastic ingestion than krill-feeding whales. Per day, a krill-obligate blue whale may ingest 10 million pieces of microplastic, while a fish-feeding humpback whale likely ingests 200,000 pieces of microplastic. For species struggling to recover from historical whaling alongside other anthropogenic pressures, our findings suggest that the cumulative impacts of multiple stressors require further attention.
It really is a terrible state of affairs.
I've been reading about India's ban on single use plastics having failed. Shall see if I can find the article in English.
We have most certainly failed here, as while I cannot get a straw that doesn't taste like cardboard with my soft drink, I cannot get a single use package of butter or the like without a plastic box.
As Tom Macdonald once put it, "No more plastic straws wrapped in paper, just paper straws wrapped in plastic." Seen a little broadly and metaphorically, it certainly looks precisely like that.
Quote from: Asmodean on November 03, 2022, 01:50:04 PMI've been reading about India's ban on single use plastics having failed. Shall see if I can find the article in English.
We have most certainly failed here, as while I cannot get a straw that doesn't taste like cardboard with my soft drink, I cannot get a single use package of butter or the like without a plastic box.
As Tom Macdonald once put it, "No more plastic straws wrapped in paper, just paper straws wrapped in plastic." Seen a little broadly and metaphorically, it certainly looks precisely like that.
I have my own set of reusable metal straws which I keep in the glove compartment of my car.
I... May hereby be admitting to having a bunch of plastic straws and like... Washing them. :sad sigh:
Quote from: Asmodean on November 03, 2022, 06:24:35 PMI... May hereby be admitting to having a bunch of plastic straws and like... Washing them. :sad sigh:
Well at least that's not single use.
Drilling down to the root cause of the problem: it is caused by people. Too damned many people who use too many straws, plastic bottles, containers, packaging, and even clothing and paints, whiskey bottles, automotive components, and a plethora of other things containing polymeric molecular components.
Those Jesus people were right about the need to refrain from copulation, but they do not preach this need for the reasons that we are herewith confronted.
Whaaaat? They were told to "Go forth and multiply!"! The "don't do it" part is just to set up sexual tension and guilt for exploitation.
As for the microplastics, I suspect that they will move up the food chain until we are all as plastic as the movie stars. J/K, the plastic part is serious business. I have seen that there are bacteria that eat that stuff, though. Bacteria will get me in the end, anyway. :shrug:
Quote from: Icarus on November 04, 2022, 03:21:56 AMDrilling down to the root cause of the problem: it is caused by people. Too damned many people who use too many straws, plastic bottles, containers, packaging, and even clothing and paints, whiskey bottles, automotive components, and a plethora of other things containing polymeric molecular components.
Those Jesus people were right about the need to refrain from copulation, but they do not preach this need for the reasons that we are herewith confronted.
Yes.
It's not just that too many people
are, and that too many people use them plastics what get into my whale burger or tuna salad, but it's also how they treat their waste, which I think it is fair enough to call "as cheaply as possible."
There are regions where a sort of landfill economy has emerged, where people collect and sell waste products for money. Were it a bit more profitable, perhaps people would consider not throwing something in the nearest river or on a landfill? Like, the plastic bottle scheme we have around here seems to be working - when you buy a soft drink, you pay a couple of coins for the bottle. Upon returning said bottle, you get them coins back. Even here at work, people collect the empty bottles, then we return them and use the money to buy chocolates for the lounge and stuff like that. It only works because there is incentive - if there was not, we'd all just toss our bottles into the office bins, from which I'm almost certain the road goes straight to the landfill.
Of course, the road to the oceans may be a bit more complex than that. Autosorting and burning combustibles for energy is a thing, still, I think personal incentives may come far without costing the tax payer much.
A twinge of nostalgia in this article, unrelated to its subject. Paper was published September of last year, but pop science sites writing about it now...
"Scientists make 'disturbing' find on remote island: plastic rocks" |
Phys.org (https://phys.org/news/2023-03-scientists-disturbing-remote-island-plastic.html)
QuoteThere are few places on Earth as isolated as Trindade island, a volcanic outcrop a three- to four-day boat trip off the coast of Brazil.
So geologist Fernanda Avelar Santos was startled to find an unsettling sign of human impact on the otherwise untouched landscape: rocks formed from the glut of plastic pollution floating in the ocean.
Santos first found the plastic rocks in 2019, when she traveled to the island to research her doctoral thesis on a completely different topic—landslides, erosion and other "geological risks."
She was working near a protected nature reserve known as Turtle Beach, the world's largest breeding ground for the endangered green turtle, when she came across a large outcrop of the peculiar-looking blue-green rocks.
Intrigued, she took some back to her lab after her two-month expedition.
Analyzing them, she and her team identified the specimens as a new kind of geological formation, merging the materials and processes the Earth has used to form rocks for billions of years with a new ingredient: plastic trash.
"We concluded that human beings are now acting as a geological agent, influencing processes that were previously completely natural, like rock formation," she told AFP.
"It fits in with the idea of the Anthropocene, which scientists are talking about a lot these days: the geological era of human beings influencing the planet's natural processes. This type of rock-like plastic will be preserved in the geological record and mark the Anthropocene."
...
[Santos] found similar rock-like plastic formations had previously been reported in places including Hawaii, Britain, Italy and Japan since 2014.
But Trindade island is the remotest place on the planet they have been found so far, she said.
She fears that as the rocks erode, they will leach microplastics into the environment and further contaminate the island's food chain.
[Continues . . . (https://phys.org/news/2023-03-scientists-disturbing-remote-island-plastic.html)]
Seems like these "stones" would have been formed from microplastics in the first place, but perhaps not. The paper (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0025326X22007135) is behind a paywall.
QuoteAbstract:
Continuous input of plastic litter in ocean and coastal environments achieved alarming levels that are exposing new settings in natural systems. While novel plastic debris pollution, with rock-like appearance, has been reported worldwide, fundamentally geological analyses are still lacking.
We surveyed the first occurrence of multiple associated plastic debris on a single outcrop located in a remote site (Trindade Island, SE Atlantic Ocean). Even though all plastic debris forms consisted of polypropylene and polyethylene, through a sedimentary approach (cross section, macro, and micro analyses) distinct types were identified.
We detected plastiglomerates, geogenic analogous to conglomerates, divided into in situ and clastic types, and formed over beach sediment. We identified plastistones as a new type with homogeneous composition (lacking incorporated materials), geogenic-looking igneous rocks, divided into in situ and clastic types, and formed over rock surfaces. We linked pyroplastics, geogenic analogous to clasts, to clastic plastiglomerates/plastistones, therefore representing clastic types of plastic debris forms. This association was correlated in a depositional system model, which suggests that plastic debris forms are rock synthetic equivalents in which humans act as depositional and post-depositional agents.
I just read about this! That's disgusting. This is probably how we end up trashing the planet (and dying), not global warming.
That's incredible and equally disturbing.
Study shows how tiny plastic particles manage to breach the blood-brain barrier (https://phys.org/news/2023-04-tiny-plastic-particles-breach-blood-brain.html)
QuotePublished in the journal Nanomaterials, the study was carried out in an animal model with oral administration of MNPs, in this case polystyrene, a widely-used plastic which is also found in food packaging. Led by Lukas Kenner (Department of Pathology at MedUni Vienna and Department of Laboratory Animal Pathology at Vetmeduni) and Oldamur Hollóczki (Department of Physical Chemistry, University of Debrecen, Hungary) the research team was able to determine that tiny polystyrene particles could be detected in the brain just two hours after ingestion.
More research. And no good news.
On human waste in general: it goes on. Life goes on but probably not for very much longer at the rate that humans are laying waste to the planet, our home.
Quote from: MarcusA on April 24, 2023, 08:30:21 AMOn human waste in general: it goes on. Life goes on but probably not for very much longer at the rate that humans are laying waste to the planet, our home.
One more hazard to add to the list. We have previously had only sparse information about "Nurdles".
https://getpocket.com/explore/item/nurdles-the-worst-toxic-waste-you-ve-probably-never-heard-of?utm_source=pocket-newtab
Yeah, I suspect that plastics are going to be our downfall before global warming. Sad, because that crap could take everything out that doesn't adapt to it.
Apparently I've neglected to mention nurdles in this thread before, but as somebody who follows the topic, sadly I'm familiar with them. Probably they're a significant component of the North Pacific Garbage Patch. More macro than micro, but definitely relevant in this thread.
"Converging ocean currents bring floating life and garbage together" |
Phys.org (https://phys.org/news/2023-05-converging-ocean-currents-life-garbage.html)
QuoteThe North Pacific "Garbage Patch" is home to an abundance of floating sea creatures, as well as the plastic waste it has become famous for, according to a study by Rebecca Helm from Georgetown University, U.S., and colleagues. The paper is published in the open access journal PLOS Biology.
There are five main oceanic gyres—vortexes of water where multiple ocean currents meet—of which the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre (NPSG) is the largest. It is also known as the North Pacific "Garbage Patch," because converging ocean currents have concentrated large amounts of plastic waste there.
However, many floating ocean creatures, such as jellyfish (cnidarians), snails, barnacles and crustaceans, may also use currents to travel through the open ocean, but little is known about where they live.
The researchers took advantage of an 80-day long-distance swim through the NPSG in 2019 to investigate these floating lifeforms, by asking the sailing crew accompanying the expedition to collect samples of surface sea creatures and plastic waste. The expedition's route was planned using computer simulations of ocean surface currents to predict areas with high concentrations of marine debris.
The team collected daily samples of floating life and waste in the eastern NPSG, and found that sea creatures were more abundant inside the NPSG than on the periphery. The occurrence of plastic waste was positively correlated with the abundance of three groups of floating sea creatures: sea rafts (Velella sp), blue sea buttons (Porpita sp) and violet sea snails (Janthina sp).
[Continues . . . (https://phys.org/news/2023-05-converging-ocean-currents-life-garbage.html)]
The paper is open access:
"High concentrations of floating neustonic life in the plastic-rich North Pacific Garbage Patch" |
PLOS Biology (https://journals.plos.org/plosbiology/article?id=10.1371/journal.pbio.3001646)
QuoteAbstract:
Floating life (obligate neuston) is a core component of the ocean surface food web. However, only 1 region of high neustonic abundance is known so far, the Sargasso Sea in the Subtropical North Atlantic gyre, where floating life provides critical habitat structure and ecosystem services.
Here, we hypothesize that floating life is also concentrated in other gyres with converging surface currents. To test this hypothesis, we collected samples through the eastern North Pacific Subtropical Gyre in the area of the North Pacific "Garbage Patch" (NPGP) known to accumulate floating anthropogenic debris.
We found that densities of floating life were higher inside the central NPGP than on its periphery and that there was a positive relationship between neuston abundance and plastic abundance for 3 out of 5 neuston taxa, Velella, Porpita, and Janthina. This work has implications for the ecology of subtropical oceanic gyre ecosystems.
Some positive-sounding news on this topic for once.
"Durable plastic pollution easily, cleanly degrades with new catalyst" |
Northwestern University (https://news.northwestern.edu/stories/2023/11/durable-plastic-pollution-easily-cleanly-degrades-with-new-catalyst/)
QuoteMany people are familiar with the haunting images of wildlife — including sea turtles, dolphins and seals — tangled in abandoned fishing nets.
The main issue behind Nylon-6, the plastic inside these nets, carpet and clothing, is that it's too strong and durable to break down on its own. So, once it's in the environment, it lingers for thousands of years, littering waterways, breaking corals and strangling birds and sea life.
Now, Northwestern University chemists have developed a new catalyst that quickly, cleanly and completely breaks down Nylon-6 in a matter of minutes — without generating harmful byproducts. Even better: The process does not require toxic solvents, expensive materials or extreme conditions, making it practical for everyday applications.
[Continues . . . (https://news.northwestern.edu/stories/2023/11/durable-plastic-pollution-easily-cleanly-degrades-with-new-catalyst/)]
A pre-print of the paper is available:
"Catalyst Design to Address Nylon Plastics Recycling" |
ChemRxiv (https://chemrxiv.org/engage/api-gateway/chemrxiv/assets/orp/resource/item/6448089f83fa35f8f63ce256/original/catalyst-design-to-address-nylon-plastics-recycling.pdf)
QuoteAbstract:
Rational tailoring of catalytic systems offers highly desirable transformations targeting the growing environmental challenges associated with plastics pollution. For example, the identification of efficient catalysts to address alarming end-of-life Nylon pollution remains underexplored.
Nylon-6 is a non-biodegradable high-performance engineering plastic with centuries of chemical persistence, resulting in millions of tons of waste accumulation. Here we report the rational manipulation of organolanthanide catalyst structure to achieve an exceptionally efficient, solventless, and scalable Nylon-6 depolymerization process, affording monomer ε-caprolactam in ≥99% yield.
Specifically, catalyst Cp*2LaCH(TMS)2 (Cp* = η5-C5Me5, TMS = SiMe3) operates at catalyst loadings as low as 0.2 mol% and temperatures as low as 220 °C. For efficient deconstruction of more recalcitrant commodity Nylon-6 end-of-life articles such as fishing nets, carpets, and clothing, the robust, thermally stable ansa-metallocene catalyst Me2SiCp''2YCH(TMS)2, (Cp'' = η5-C5Me4) effects >99% conversion of these items into ε-caprolactam.
The collected product can be readily re-polymerized to afford pristine Nylon-6 with higher molecular masses and comparable structural regularity, providing a superior upcycling pathway for end-of-life Nylon plastics. Experimental mechanistic studies reveal intriguing and effective depolymerization pathways, such as catalytic intrachain "unzipping" enabled by the catalyst π-ancillary ligand steric constraints. Effective interchain "hopping" mechanisms, as well as chain-end deactivation are also demonstrated and supported by DFT analyses.
That is good news.
Microplastics infiltrating old lake sediments; no longer a good marker for the Age of Humans.
"Buried microplastics complicate efforts to define the Anthropocene" |
Nature (https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-00535-5)
QuoteThe presence of microplastics in layers of material that settle at the bottom of lakes might be an unreliable way to determine the onset of the Anthropocene — the geological epoch marking the consequences of human activity on the environment. That is the conclusion of researchers who have shown that tiny plastic particles can infiltrate deep into old sediments.
The date when the Anthropocene began is still being debated. But the presence of microplastics is one of the measures that geologists look at when analysing material from lakes and seas to see whether human activity has made an impact. And microplastic content has also been suggested as a way to date geological sediments.
In a study published [February 21] in Science Advances, researchers looked for plastics in sediment from three lakes in Latvia: Seksu, Pinku and Usmas.
They found 14 types of plastic in sediment samples. In all three of the lakes, the most recent, uppermost sediment layers contained the most plastic particles. But the team also found that smaller, narrower particles had travelled down into much older sediments that formed long before plastic production began in the 1950s. For example, particles of the biodegradable plastics polylactic acid (PLA) and polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) were found in sediment that is more than 200 years old. The researchers used established techniques to date sediment samples, measuring the amounts of lead isotopes and spheroidal carbon-containing particles that the samples contained.
[Continues . . . (https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-00535-5)]
The paper is open access:
"Downward migrating microplastics in lake sediments are a tricky indicator for the onset of the Anthropocene" |
Science Advances (https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adi8136)
QuoteAbstract:
Plastics are a recent particulate material in Earth's history. Because of plastics persistence and wide-range presence, it has a great potential of being a global age marker and correlation tool between sedimentary profiles.
In this research, we query whether microplastics can be considered among the array of proxies to delimit the Anthropocene Epoch (starting from the year 1950 and above). We present a study of microplastics deposition history inferred from sediment profiles of lakes in northeastern Europe.
The sediments were dated with independent proxies from the present back to the first half of the 18th century. Regardless of the sediment layer age, microplastic particles were found throughout the cores in all sites. Depending on particles' aspect ratio, less elongated particles were found deeper, while more elongated particles and fibers have reduced mobility.
We conclude that interpretation of microplastics distribution in the studied sediment profiles is ambiguous and does not strictly indicate the beginning of the Anthropocene Epoch.
Good find. Very interesting.
This is an article about the cleanest air on earth. Not unexpectedly, there are particles of plastic in the air, along with all sorts of other contaminants.
https://getpocket.com/explore/item/the-town-with-the-cleanest-air-in-the-world?utm_source=pocket-newtab-en-us (https://getpocket.com/explore/item/the-town-with-the-cleanest-air-in-the-world?utm_source=pocket-newtab-en-us)
I read that one major source of microplastics are car tires. They erode into dust that get into the air and washed into the oceans. :(
Hmm... :thoughtful:
This does sound plausible, though I run Michelins, whose maker says that their stuff is made from:
Natural rubber: the main component of the tread layers
Synthetic rubber: part of the treads of car, van and 4x4 tires
Carbon black and silica: used as a reinforcing agent to improve durability
Metallic and textile reinforcement cables: the "skeleton" of the tire, forming the geometric shape and providing rigidity.
Numerous chemical agents: for unique properties like low rolling resistance or ultra-high grip
(source: https://www.michelinman.com/auto/auto-tips-and-advice/tires-101/how-are-tires-made )
...So where is the source of the plastics? Or are they referring to the elastomers as such? I suppose that may be sorta-kinda adequate, though elastic is not plastic.
Or do other manufacturers operate with "plastic tyres?"
Some current research indicates that we are ingesting plastic particles that have found their way into foods. Micro and nano particles appear in vegetables and many types of meat. Whether the accumulation of plastic particles in our bodies will kill us is yet to be determined.
Plastic Man (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plastic_Man)
Here is an article that foretells the end of the inhabited world............ or something of that sort. Well alright maybe it will be quicker if we use Nukes or a giant asteroid smacks Mother Earth.
https://www.propublica.org/article/3m-forever-chemicals-pfas-pfos-inside-story?utm_source=pocket-newtab-en-us (https://www.propublica.org/article/3m-forever-chemicals-pfas-pfos-inside-story?utm_source=pocket-newtab-en-us)
Lengthy article, perhaps an interesting read.
Interesting, and annoying. I just wonder what the people who cover this shit up eat and drink? One would think that not poisoning themselves would be a motivating factor for finding alternatives. 3M has so many smart people, right?
Quote from: Dark Lightning on May 22, 2024, 02:36:03 AMInteresting, and annoying. I just wonder what the people who cover this shit up eat and drink? One would think that not poisoning themselves would be a motivating factor for finding alternatives. 3M has so many smart people, right?
QuoteIs your water the quality you would like it to be? It might look clear and taste fine, but could it be better? An under sink or whole house water filtration system from 3M can help reduce particulates, sediment, chlorine taste and odour from your water.
:???: Talk about the fox guarding the henhouse!
NPR radio today had research microbiologist guest speakers. They were studying our plastic problem. The plastic bags that we use to transport our groceries from the market to our homes is mostly polyethylene. Those little bags are ubiquitous because many merchants, such as restaurants, hardware stores,florists, etc use the bags as a convenience to the customer.
What becomes of those bags. Voila! They are convenient for discharging ordinary kitchen litter. Toss in the trash collector bins and they end up in the local landfill. There they disintegrate over time.
Here is the kicker.............It has been established that there are microparticles of that stuff finding its way into human bodies. That is old news, but where does this particular microplastic concentrate within the human body. The testicles. Yep, testicles ! So far, that has not been shown to have an unwelcome influence on our sex lives.......
Natural selection at it's finest. It's almost like something is in control!
An article about the item noted by
Icarus above. Of course it's not just our species that has microplastics in our junk.
"UNM Researchers Find Microplastics in Canine and Human Testicular Tissue" |
University of New Mexico Newsroom (https://hsc.unm.edu/news/2024/05/hsc-newsroom-post-microplastics-testicular.html)
QuoteUniversity of New Mexico researchers have detected significant concentrations of microplastics in the testicular tissue of both humans and dogs, adding to growing concern about their possible effect on human reproductive health.
In a new paper published in the journal Toxicological Sciences, a team led by Xiaozhong "John" Yu, MD, PhD, MPH, a professor in the UNM College of Nursing, reported finding 12 types of microplastics in 47 canine and 23 human testes.
"Our study revealed the presence of microplastics in all human and canine testes," Yu said. The team was also able to quantify the amount of microplastics in the tissue samples using a novel analytical method that revealed correlations between certain types of plastic and reduced sperm count in the canine samples.
Yu, who studies the impact of various environmental factors on the human reproductive system, said heavy metals, pesticides and endocrine-disrupting chemicals have all been implicated in a global decline in sperm count and quality in recent years. A conversation with his colleague Matthew Campen, PhD, a professor in the UNM College of Pharmacy who has documented the presence of microplastics in human placentas, led him to wonder whether something else might be at work.
[Continues . . . (https://hsc.unm.edu/news/2024/05/hsc-newsroom-post-microplastics-testicular.html)]
The paper (https://academic.oup.com/toxsci/advance-article-abstract/doi/10.1093/toxsci/kfae060/7673133) is behind a paywall.
QuoteAbstract:
The ubiquitous existence of microplastics and nanoplastics raises concerns about their potential impact on the human reproductive system. Limited data exists on microplastics within the human reproductive system and their potential consequences on sperm quality. Our objectives were to quantify and characterize the prevalence and composition of microplastics within both canine and human testes and investigate potential associations with the sperm count, and weights of testis and epididymis.
Using advanced sensitive pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry, we quantified 12 types of microplastics within 47 canine and 23 human testes. Data on reproductive organ weights, and sperm count in dogs were collected. Statistical analyses, including descriptive analysis, correlational analysis, and multivariate linear regression analyses were applied to investigate the association of microplastics with reproductive functions.
Our study revealed the presence of microplastics in all canine and human testes, with significant inter-individual variability. Mean total microplastic levels were 122.63 µg/g in dogs and 328.44 µg/g in humans. Both humans and canines exhibit relatively similar proportions of the major polymer types, with PE being dominant. Furthermore, a negative correlation between specific polymers such as PVC and PET and the normalized weight of the testis was observed. These findings highlight the pervasive presence of microplastics in the male reproductive system in both canine and human testes, with potential consequences on male fertility.
Related study described below.
"Microplastics found in every semen sample tested by research team" |
Medical Xpress (https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-06-microplastics-semen-sample-team.html)
QuoteA team of public health researchers affiliated with multiple institutions in China has found microplastics in the semen of every sample they tested. In their study, published in the journal Science of the Total Environment, the group looked for microplastics in semen samples obtained from 36 healthy adult men.
Prior research has shown that microplastics are nearly everywhere, found on mountaintops, remote islands, in the upper atmosphere and the depths of the world's oceans. They have also been found in every organ in the human body.
In a recent discovery, scientists found that the average person consumes plastic in amounts equal to about one credit card every week. The researchers note that plastics can enter the body in multiple ways, such as through drinking from water bottles, breathing air particulates, or eating food heated in plastic containers. They further note that it is now practically impossible for people to avoid ingesting microplastics.
The health impacts remain unknown, but many scientists around the world are looking into it, suspecting microplastic ingestion may be behind many inflammatory diseases.
[Continues . . . (https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-06-microplastics-semen-sample-team.html)]
Another paywalled paper (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0048969724036696?via%3Dihub):
QuoteAbstract:
Microplastics are ubiquitous environmental contaminants that have been detected in human semen from polluted areas, yet their prevalence and effects in the general population remain largely unexplored. To examine microplastic presence, abundance, polymer types, and associations with semen quality parameters in individuals without occupational exposures, this study was conducted by collecting semen samples from 40 participants undergoing premarital health assessments in Jinan, China.
Raman microspectroscopy was employed to identify, quantify, and categorize microplastic polymers, sperm motility was assessed via computer-assisted analysis, and morphology was evaluated through Diff-Quik staining. Correlations between demographics, semen parameters, and microplastic content were examined by statistical analysis.
We found that microplastics were detected in all semen samples, with 2 particles per sample (ranging from 0.72 to 7.02 μm). Eight distinct polymers were identified, with polystyrene (31 %) being most prevalent. Semen exposed to polystyrene demonstrated higher sperm progressive motility as compared to polyvinyl chloride exposure group (43.52 ± 14.21 % vs 19.04 ± 13.46 %). Sperm morphological abnormalities were observed but not significantly associated with specific plastic types.
In conclusion, this study reveals microplastic contamination in semen from individuals without occupational exposure, with PS, PE, and PVC being the most prevalent and exhibiting differential correlations with sperm progressive motility, and highlight the need for further research into the potential reproductive impacts of microplastic exposure.
Damned plastic is everywhere as noted here...............
https://www.livescience.com/animals/polar-bears/bleak-photo-of-polar-bear-with-plastic-in-its-jaws-in-the-remote-arctic-shows-pollution-s-pervasive-grip?utm_medium=referral&utm_source=pushly&utm_campaign=Animals (https://www.livescience.com/animals/polar-bears/bleak-photo-of-polar-bear-with-plastic-in-its-jaws-in-the-remote-arctic-shows-pollution-s-pervasive-grip?utm_medium=referral&utm_source=pushly&utm_campaign=Animals)
We have fucked our home :(
Yup. It's going to be a race between plastic in the food chain and global warming, as to which kills us first.
Might have begun during WWII. Houses of sorts were built near military bases or shipyards and other war effort facilities. A simple faucet or spigot could not be made of brass or other critical war materials. You guessed it they were made of some sort of primitive plastic. Ugly but functional. Doorknobs were plastic of some kind, and lots of other household items too. I was there, I came I saw, I remember. My father was a shipbuilder and I lived near the shipyard in one of those "cardboard castles", plastic parts and all.
Where it starts was when people wanted to save money and build 'better' things. Can you imagine a world without plastics? It would be very difficult. The issue is disposal and impact analysis (of which there is none).
The reason for the "plastic' parts during WWII is that brass, copper, aluminum. cast iron, was part of the war effort and not available for civilian uses.
We even used to strip the foil off cigarette packages to save the metal content for the "war effort". Kids were very conscious of the war and did whatever they thought might be helpful...........It was a whole different world then.
Quote from: Icarus on August 24, 2024, 12:09:27 AMThe reason for the "plastic' parts during WWII is that brass, copper, aluminum. cast iron, was part of the war effort and not available for civilian uses.
We even used to strip the foil off cigarette packages to save the metal content for the "war effort". Kids were very conscious of the war and did whatever they thought might be helpful...........It was a whole different world then.
There is a children's programme in the UK called Blue Peter (it refers to the flag raised on a ship when it intends to leave port). Every year they used to do a collection for a charity. One year they did milk bottle tops. I remember my mum getting annoyed when I took all the bottle tops off! We would take them to school where they were bagged up and sent to the BBC. People also collected them and sent them on their own as well. They had a target of so many tons of aluminium to collect. This was undoubtedly set quite low. But as December went by the 'totaliser' showed the growing weight that had been collected and what the money earned was being used for. One year they collected old keys. That worked well as the keys were all checked for their value as antiques before they went for scrapping. Some keys turned out to be pretty valuable.
This may be good news on the "humans ingesting plastic" front, though it seems unlikely to do much good for the rest of the planet.
"New Technique Removes More Than 98% of Nanoplastics From Water" |
Science Alert (https://www.sciencealert.com/new-technique-removes-more-than-98-of-nanoplastics-from-water)
QuoteNo one yet knows what threat plastic pollution poses to human health, but the recent realization that we are drinking invisible fragments of plastic along with our water is making many understandably uneasy.
To stop microplastics and nanoplastics from penetrating deep into our bodies and brains, researchers at the University of Missouri have come up with a potentially sustainable and safe way to rid water of microscopic pollutants.
Using natural liquid ingredients that have low toxicity, the team has shown they can remove around 98 percent of nanoscopic polystyrene beads from fresh and salt water.
The solvent that researchers engineered floats on the surface of water, kind of like oil. A quick mix, however, and – voila! – the liquid picks up microscopic plastics in the water and carries them to the surface.
Sucking up the top layer of liquid with a pipette, the team at the University of Missouri (Mizzou) found they could remove nearly all nanoplastic beads from their contaminated water samples.
In salt water, the method worked at extracting 99.8 percent of all polystyrene pollutants.
The proof of concept showcases a cost-effective and potentially "sustainable solution to the nanoplastics problem", argue researchers from Mizzou. With further research, the technique could even prove useful for cleaning water of other pollutants, like forever chemicals.
[Continues . . . (https://www.sciencealert.com/new-technique-removes-more-than-98-of-nanoplastics-from-water)]
The paper (https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acsaenm.4c00159) is behind a paywall.
QuoteAbstract:
Nanoplastics pollution, a growing environmental threat, adversely affects ecosystems and human health. The challenge in extracting and detecting nanoplastics from environmental matrices lies in their minuscule sizes, varied shapes, and low concentration.
We demonstrate an efficient approach employing hydrophobic deep eutectic solvents (HDESs) for the liquid/liquid extraction of polystyrene (PS) beads (nominally sized 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.5, and 1.0 μm), a stand-in for nanoplastics, from both fresh and saline water. Of ten different HDES systems evaluated, those described by 1:2 molar ratios of tetrabutylammonium bromide ([N4444]Br):decanoic acid or tetraoctylammonium bromide ([N8888]Br):decanoic acid as well as 1:1 thymol:menthol showed exceptional efficiency, achieving nearly complete removal (a mean extraction efficiency of 98.4%) of nanoplastics in a single pass across a range of nanoplastic sizes from 100 to 1000 nm. The HDES comprising 1:2 [N4444]Br:decanoic acid exhibits a high extraction capacity, effectively capturing at least 17.2 wt % of PS. Crucially, the extractive fluids comprise benign components, and the hydrophobicity of these HDESs helps to prevent water phase contamination, showcasing their potential as a sustainable solution to the nanoplastics problem.
This one isn't particularly surprising. If anything I'm surprised that it's the first time microplastics have been observed in human brains.
"Microplastics are in our brains. How worried should I be?" |
The Conversation (https://theconversation.com/microplastics-are-in-our-brains-how-worried-should-i-be-237401)
QuoteA study from the United States has, for the first time, found microplastics in human brains. The study, which has yet to be independently verified by other scientists, has been described in the media as scary, shocking and alarming.
[. . .]
The study looked at concentrations of microplastics in 51 samples from men and women set aside from routine autopsies in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Samples were from the liver, kidney and brain.
These tiny particles are difficult to study due to their size, even with a high-powered microscope. So rather than trying to see them, researchers are beginning to use complex instruments that identify the chemical composition of microplastics in a sample. This is the technique used in this study.
The researchers were surprised to find up to 30 times more microplastics in brain samples than in the liver and kidney.
They hypothesised this could be due to high blood flow to the brain (carrying plastic particles with it). Alternatively, the liver and kidneys might be better suited to dealing with external toxins and particles. We also know the brain does not undergo the same amount of cellular renewal as other organs in the body, which could make the plastics linger here.
The researchers also found the amount of plastics in brain samples increased by about 50% between 2016 and 2024. This may reflect the rise in environmental plastic pollution and increased human exposure.
The microplastics found in this study were mostly composed of polyethylene. This is the most commonly produced plastic in the world and is used for many everyday products, such as bottle caps and plastic bags.
[. . .]
To get into brain tissue, microplastics must cross the blood-brain-barrier, an intricate layer of cells that is supposed to keep things in the blood from entering the brain.
Although concerning, this is not surprising, as microplastics must cross similar cell barriers to enter the urine, testes and placenta, where they have already been found in humans.
[. . .]
Microplastics are widespread in the environment, and it's difficult to avoid exposure. We are just beginning to understand how microplastics can affect our health.
Until we have more scientific evidence, the best thing we can do is reduce our exposure to plastics where we can and produce less plastic waste, so less ends up in the environment.
An easy place to start is to avoid foods and drinks packaged in single-use plastic or reheated in plastic containers. We can also minimise exposure to synthetic fibres in our home and clothing.
[Link to full article. (https://theconversation.com/microplastics-are-in-our-brains-how-worried-should-i-be-237401)]
The preprint version of the paper is open access:
"Bioaccumulation of Microplastics in Decedent Human Brains Assessed by Pyrolysis Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry" |
NIH/National Library of Medicine (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11100893/)
QuoteAbstract:
Rising global concentrations of environmental micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs) drive concerns for human exposure and health outcomes. Applying pyrolysis gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS) methods to isolate and quantify MNPs from human samples, we compared MNP accumulation in kidneys, livers, and brains.
Autopsy samples from the Office of the Medical Investigator in Albuquerque, NM, collected in 2016 and in 2024, were digested for Py-GC/MS analysis of 12 polymers. Brains exhibited higher concentrations of MNPs than liver or kidney samples. All organs exhibited significant increases from 2016 to 2024.
Polyethylene was the predominant polymer; the relative proportion of polyethylene MNPs was greater in brain samples than in liver or kidney. Transmission electron microscopy verified the nanoscale nature of isolated particles, which largely appeared to be aged, shard-like plastics remnants across a wide range of sizes. Results demonstrate that MNPs are selectively accumulated into the human brain and concentrations are rising over time.
On the more hopeful side . . .
"New 'Living Plastic' Self-Destructs Once It's Thrown Away" |
Science Alert (https://www.sciencealert.com/new-living-plastic-self-destructs-once-its-thrown-away)
QuoteScientists have created a 'living plastic' that self-destructs when the material begins to erode.
In the composting process, the novel product breaks down within a month, compared with more traditional versions that take up to 55 days to decompose under the same conditions.
The hopeful technology was inspired by the power of plastic-munching proteins, which are naturally produced by a species of bacteria discovered in 2016 at a recycling facility in Japan.
In the years since scientists have found several other species of bacteria that have evolved the enzymes to eat plastic, and these natural proteins have inspired synthetic versions that are even hungrier for our waste.
Researchers at the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), led by synthetic biologist Chenwang Tang, have now figured out how to bake bacterial spores that secrete these enzymes into the very structure of polycaprolactone (PCL) plastic.
That way, when the plastic begins to degrade, these newly freed enzymes can finish off the task.
[Continues . . . (https://www.sciencealert.com/new-living-plastic-self-destructs-once-its-thrown-away)]
The paper (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41589-024-01713-2) is behind a paywall.
QuoteAbstract:
Plastics are widely used materials that pose an ecological challenge because their wastes are difficult to degrade. Embedding enzymes and biomachinery within polymers could enable the biodegradation and disposal of plastics. However, enzymes rarely function under conditions suitable for polymer processing.
Here, we report degradable living plastics by harnessing synthetic biology and polymer engineering. We engineered Bacillus subtilis spores harboring the gene circuit for the xylose-inducible secretory expression of Burkholderia cepacia lipase (BC-lipase). The spores that were resilient to stresses during material processing were mixed with poly(caprolactone) to produce living plastics in various formats. Spore incorporation did not compromise the physical properties of the materials. Spore recovery was triggered by eroding the plastic surface, after which the BC-lipase released by the germinated cells caused near-complete depolymerization of the polymer matrix.
This study showcases a method for fabricating green plastics that can function when the spores are latent and decay when the spores are activated and sheds light on the development of materials for sustainability.
I've missed posting a few items on this beat the past few months--none of them particularly encouraging. This one may at least be helpful. Cutting to the chase: boil it then filter it--even just boiling it can help.
"There's a Surprisingly Easy Way to Remove Microplastics From Drinking Water" |
Science Alert (https://www.sciencealert.com/theres-a-surprisingly-easy-way-to-remove-microplastics-from-drinking-water)
QuoteTiny fragments of microplastics are making their way deep inside our bodies in concerning quantities, significantly through our food and drink.
Scientists have recently found a simple and effective means of removing them from water.
A team from Guangzhou Medical University and Jinan University in China ran tests on both soft water and hard tap water (which is richer in minerals).
"Tap water nano/microplastics (NMPs) escaping from centralized water treatment systems are of increasing global concern, because they pose potential health risk to humans via water consumption," write the researchers in their paper, published in February.
They added in nanoplastics and microplastics before boiling the liquid and then filtering out any precipitates.
In some cases, up to 90 percent of the NMPs were removed by the boiling and filtering process, though the effectiveness varied based on the type of water.
Of course the big benefit is that most people can do it using what they already have in their kitchen.
"This simple boiling water strategy can 'decontaminate' NMPs from household tap water and has the potential for harmlessly alleviating human intake of NMPs through water consumption," write biomedical engineer Zimin Yu from Guangzhou Medical University and colleagues.
[Continues . . . (https://www.sciencealert.com/theres-a-surprisingly-easy-way-to-remove-microplastics-from-drinking-water)]
The paper (https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.estlett.4c00081) is behind a paywall.
QuoteAbstract:
Tap water nano/microplastics (NMPs) escaping from centralized water treatment systems are of increasing global concern, because they pose potential health risk to humans via water consumption. Drinking boiled water, an ancient tradition in some Asian countries, is supposedly beneficial for human health, as boiling can remove some chemicals and most biological substances. However, it remains unclear whether boiling is effective in removing NMPs in tap water.
Herein we present evidence that polystyrene, polyethylene, and polypropylene NMPs can coprecipitate with calcium carbonate (CaCO3) incrustants in tap water upon boiling. Boiling hard water (>120 mg L–1 of CaCO3) can remove at least 80% of polystyrene, polyethylene, and polypropylene NMPs size between 0.1 and 150 μm. Elevated temperatures promote CaCO3 nucleation on NMPs, resulting in the encapsulation and aggregation of NMPs within CaCO3 incrustants. This simple boiling-water strategy can "decontaminate" NMPs from household tap water and has the potential for harmlessly alleviating human intake of NMPs through water consumption.
...How would boiling remove microplastics? I mean, I suppose some plastics could be degraded by high temperature, or are we talking different sort of mechanics here? (Physics rather than chemistry? I noticed coprecipitation - do them particles sort of... Rise up, boil off, then end up in your lungs rather than stomach..?)
I may need to actually read-read that thing. Interesting. :smilenod:
Back to the routine "Eh, it's not good" caper . . . :lol: << Standing in for something more sardonic. A good friend of long acquaintance whose hobby is show business has a thing called "The Laughter of the Gods." It's just wordless laughter and snide snickers but he does it in such a way that you know the gods are inherently cruel and that the suffering of humanity amuses them to no end. It's an intense performance, but I've seen him keep it up for at least a couple of minutes. I always admired his ability to transform his pain into a heartfelt mocking of human mythology and the element of pathos in our existence. I don't think it ever failed to get me laughing. At least for a while. ;)
Again, meanwhile, back at the ranch . . .
"Nanoplastics Stick to Toxic Bacteria, Forming a Deadly Combination" |
Science Alert (https://www.sciencealert.com/nanoplastics-stick-to-toxic-bacteria-forming-a-deadly-combination)
QuoteWe're all awash in plastic fragments, with many of the smallest particles ranging in size from a micrometer down to a single nanometer across.
The health effects of these tiny 'nanoplastics' are still largely unknown, but the infinitesimal size and environmental abundance of them makes these synthetic fragments a potentially outsized threat – and not just for humans. In fact, not even just for organisms with cells as complex as ours.
According to a new study, nanoplastics also seem to cause stress for pathogenic E. coli bacteria.
That might sound helpful for us, in a "the enemy of my enemy is my friend" sense, but it isn't that simple, the study suggests.
Nanoplastics did not significantly affect the survival of E. coli, although they did affect other traits of the bacteria, such as biofilm development and overall growth. Perhaps most importantly for us, exposure to nanoplastics apparently prompts E. coli to become more virulent.
The study offers a novel glimpse into this dynamic, says senior author Pratik Banerjee, a molecular microbiologist in the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
"Other studies have evaluated the interaction of nanoplastics and bacteria, but so far, ours is the first to look at the impacts of microplastics and nanoplastics on human pathogenic bacteria," Banerjee says.
The researchers focused on E. coli O157:H7 – a notorious pathogen often implicated in outbreaks of food poisoning – and made nanoplastics from polystyrene, a synthetic polymer and one of the most widely used plastic types.
They found that nanoplastics with a positively charged surface are more likely to cause physiological stress in this E. coli serotype, prompting a defensive response. The stressed bacteria make extra Shiga-like toxin, their characteristic illness-causing chemical.
[Continues . . . (https://www.sciencealert.com/nanoplastics-stick-to-toxic-bacteria-forming-a-deadly-combination)]
The paper is open access:
"Nanoplastics-mediated physiologic and genomic responses in pathogenic
Escherichia coli O157:H7" |
Journal of Nanobiotechnology (https://jnanobiotechnology.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12951-025-03369-z)
QuoteAbstract:
The widespread occurrence of microplastics (MP) and nanoplastics (NP) in the environment is commonly thought to negatively impact living organisms; however, there remains a considerable lack of understanding regarding the actual risks associated with exposure. Microorganisms, including pathogenic bacteria, frequently interact with MPs/NPs in various ecosystems, triggering physiological responses that warrant a deeper understanding.
The present study experimentally demonstrated the impact of surface-functionalized differentially charged polystyrene (PS) NPs on the physiology of human pathogenic Escherichia coli O157:H7 and their influence on biofilm formation. Our results suggest that charged NPs can influence the growth, viability, virulence, physiological stress response, and biofilm lifestyle of the pathogen.
Positively-charged NPs were found to have a bacteriostatic effect on planktonic cell growth and affect cellular viability and biofilm initiation compared to negatively charged and uncharged NPs. The transcriptomic and gene expression data indicated significant changes in the global gene expression profile of cells exposed to NPs, including the differential expression of genes encoding several metabolic pathways associated with stress response and virulence. Significant upregulation of Shiga-like toxin (stx1a), quorum sensing, and biofilm initiation genes was observed in NP-exposed biofilm samples.
Overall, exposure to NPs did not significantly affect the survival of pathogens but affected their growth and biofilm development pattern, and most importantly, their virulence traits.
Finnish microbiologist researcher, Tero Hisokaupplia, is on the trail of an preliminary solution to plastic waste. It comes to pass that one of the worst waste products is that of disposable diapers and feminine care products, all partly plastic, which needs some 200 years to degrade in the landfill. The first ever disposable diaper is still in a landfill somewhere, it is claimed.
He and his associates have experimented with 100 variations of fungi found in mushrooms, along with other fungi. Those fungi and bacteria are capable of breaking down polyethylene plastics. The fungus has an elaborate name: pestalopilosis crospora. (spell corrector did not like those words) Certain carbon elements are involved in both the fungi and the soiled diaper.
Here's hoping that our resident chem wizard Hermes will comment. This could be for real, or it could be bullshit published by a clever con man.
Keep finding various things to dissolve things and we're going to stumble on a "universal solvent", then we'll all perish. Probably along with overheating of the earth by the sun. Race to the finish! ;D
Quote from: Icarus on June 20, 2025, 03:22:07 AMFinnish microbiologist researcher, Tero Hisokaupplia, is on the trail of an preliminary solution to plastic waste. It comes to pass that one of the worst waste products is that of disposable diapers and feminine care products, all partly plastic, which needs some 200 years to degrade in the landfill. The first ever disposable diaper is still in a landfill somewhere, it is claimed.
He and his associates have experimented with 100 variations of fungi found in mushrooms, along with other fungi. Those fungi and bacteria are capable of breaking down polyethylene plastics. The fungus has an elaborate name: pestalopilosis crospora. (spell corrector did not like those words) Certain carbon elements are involved in both the fungi and the soiled diaper.
Here's hoping that our resident chem wizard Hermes will comment. This could be for real, or it could be bullshit published by a clever con man.
I found a few stories about this. Looks like they've actually rolled out the product now. Some of the articles made claims that the fungus-loaded diapers will result in breakdown of plastics in landfills beyond the diapers. That may be a bit ambitious, but very cool if true.
"Packet of Fungi Inside New Diapers Breaks Them Down in Landfill Turning it to Mycelium" |
Good News Network (https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/packet-of-fungi-inside-new-diapers-breaks-them-down-in-landfill-turning-it-to-mycelium/)
QuoteRecent discoveries in microbial digestion of plastic have finally left the lab and entered the real world in the form of HIRO diapers, the world's first diaper manufactured to be eaten by fungi.
Every year, over 18 billion diapers are discarded into US landfills—and if they aren't manufactured with natural cellulose, then they're going to be there for 500 years, leaking microplastics and chemicals into the soil.
With that unfortunate truth out of the way, dig this dirty great news: a pair of serial entrepreneurs have developed diapers designed to be broken down into soil by fungi, and they're practically flying off the shelves.
Each HIRO MycoDigestible Diaper comes with a small packet of shelf-stable, plastic-eating fungi. Parents simply throw the packet away with the used diaper—no extra steps required.
Once the diaper reaches a landfill, the fungi activate in the presence of moisture and begin to break down the diaper's materials from the inside out. These fungi secrete enzymes that target and sever the carbon bonds in plastic, transforming the waste into mycelium and nutrient-rich soil over time.
[Continues . . . (https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/packet-of-fungi-inside-new-diapers-breaks-them-down-in-landfill-turning-it-to-mycelium/)]