After taking samples to evaluate the amount of microplastics at 10 Beach in the state of South Australia, the team found microplastics in green mussels and the water where this species lives (image).
The concentration of microplastics in mussels near urban areas was four times higher than in mussels found in remote areas. This means that microplastics have entered the food supply chain for humans, including seafood caught wild or farmed in the waters of southern Australia.
Microplastics are pieces of plastic less than 5mm in size. The plastics found included polyamide (PA), polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), acrylic resin, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and cellulose. Through the assessment of microplastics content, the scientists concluded that these are synthetic and semi-synthetic components of single-use plastics, short-life products, fabrics and ropes.
According to Karen Burke da Silva, one of the study’s authors, this shows that cleanup and pollution prevention work is happening too slowly. In addition to reducing green mussel fishing, Ms. Karen Burke da Silva noted that Australia also needs to pay attention to the consequences of microplastics entering the food supply chain.
at Blogtuan.info – Source: Soha.vn – Read the original article here
