MICROPLASTICS (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Env & Eco)

Context: According to recent research, trillions of microplastic particles in the ocean threaten marine life, from huge filter feeders to tiny plankton.

• Microplastics in marine sediments alter microbial communities and disrupt nitrogen cycling, potentially magnifying human-caused problems like toxic algal blooms.

Microplastics

• About: Microplastics are minute fragments of diverse plastic materials present in the surroundings.

o These minute plastic particles pose a threat to marine environments and the creatures that inhabit them.

• A recent study revealed a groundbreaking discovery: microplastics, which are minuscule plastic particles, have been identified in human blood for the very first time.
• Two main categories of Microplastics

o Primary microplastics are released into the environment from a variety of sources.

o Secondary microplastics: are created when larger plastics break down.

Concerns related to microplastics

• Microplastics cause damage to human cells in the laboratory.
• It has the potential to adhere to the outer membranes of red blood cells, possibly restricting their capacity to carry oxygen.