2023-11-17 12:00:07
Microplastics, the tiny, ubiquitous plastic particles, were recently discovered in the clouds atop Mount Tai in eastern China. This discovery, from a study led by Shandong University, raises questions about the impact of microplastics on cloud formation and climate. .
The researchers were inspired by a Japanese study where microplastics were found in the mist at the summit of Mount Fuji. They analyzed 28 cloud samples collected during the summer of 2021 around Mount Tai, a culturally and geographically important mountain located near densely populated areas. . Surprisingly, microplastics were found in almost all samples. These particles were mainly composed of polyethylene terephthalate (Polyethylene terephthalate (PET), which is also found with…), polypropylene (Isotactic polypropylene (or polypropene), acronym PP (or PPi) and formula. ..) and polyethylene (Polyethylene, or polyethene (generic acronym PE), is one of the…).
Although the concentration of microplastics in these clouds is lower than in urban areas, it is still significantly higher than in local precipitation, remote polar regions, and even samples previously collected in Japan. This observation highlights the wide dispersion of microplastics in the environment (The environment is everything that surrounds us. It is all natural elements and…).
The research team also studied the evolution of microplastics in clouds. Older particles were found to be rougher, smaller and more loaded with toxic metals such as lead and mercury, compared to plastics. more recent. Laboratory experiments have demonstrated that cloud-like conditions, including ultraviolet radiation and water (L Water is a chemical compound ubiquitous on Earth, essential for all…) filtered, can cause these modifications.
These findings raise concerns about the effects of microplastics on the environment and human health. More than a hundred harmful chemicals have been identified in plastics, potentially affecting our health and that of other living things. Plastic pollution can also seep into soil and fresh water, causing long-term damage to surrounding ecosystems.
To better understand the interaction of microplastics with clouds and their impacts, more research is needed. Faced with these potential dangers, many scientific, environmental and public health organizations are calling for a drastic reduction in plastic pollution.
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