Do We Know About Ocean Plastic? Nano plastics Are Changing Everything.

You’ve probably heard of microplastics — those teeny tiny fragments of plastic waste. They’re commonly found in the ocean when larger chunks of plastic like water bottles break down over time. And that’s obviously problematic. And now scientists are finding a whole new type of plastic that’s even smaller. What’s smaller than micro? Nano. To start, a microplastic is any piece of plastic that’s smaller than 5 millimetres in size. These pieces can break into smaller and smaller bits to become nano plastics, which are smaller than one-thousandth of a millimetre. That’s smaller than a single cell. So, to count something that tiny and finds out the impact it’s having on our ocean environment, researchers are having to urge creative with their detection. They took specimens (samples), ignite them into a gas, and shoot them with electrons. This causes the nano plastics to transfer an electric charge, which they can then measure to learn more about what kinds of nano plastics are present in the samples. Even though they’re too small to be seen, nano plastics can be detected clearly enough to reveal their weight.

 This same method is used at crime scenes to detect the presence of explosive gases, biological agents or residues. But some ocean experts think that the key to better understanding nano plastics is modelling, rather than sampling on a small scale. The Plastic in Our Seas Project uses present knowledge of the tides, wind patterns and currents to predict the surface paths that plastic would follow. Since the team isn't only curious about modelling surface plastic, but also the plastic beneath the waves, their models include simulations of plastic fragmentation, sinking, beaching, wave-mixing, and animal ingestion. Along with data collected in the field, the team is using laboratory wave tank tests to better picture the ocean in 3D. Where other maps only show the ocean from a top-down perspective, having a 3D representation will let them see underneath the surface. They hope to use this information to determine where the nano plastics are and what organisms may be most at risk. Related research, though still quite new, is finding that nano plastics can accumulate in bloodstreams and cell membranes.

 In one experiment, they could even pass the blood-brain barrier in a fish, hinting at neurological damage. Nanoplastics also pose a threat because they attract metals like lead, which are dangerous for animals to consume. Emerging studies have also suggested negative health impacts from the chemicals in microplastics on humans, such as reproductive harm, organ problems, and developmental delays.

This makes nano plastics began the even bigger question of how we may be affected. But in order to understand the true impact of nano plastics, it’s critical that we develop better ways to study it and calculate its actual volume. Some additional forward-looking solutions include using satellites or even LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) to find and identify plastic in the ocean. So hopefully, these steps will help bring us closer to tackling our massive plastic problem. In case you didn't know, it's Plastic Free July. If you want to know more about what’s being done to combat plastic pollution, check out our playlist here. And if there are any ways that you’re reducing your plastic footprint,