First nanoplastic found in ocean, new study

Millions of tons of plastic waste enter the ocean every year, ultraviolet light from the sun and rough seas turn this plastic into invisible nanoparticles that pose a threat to the marine environment.

In a new study, engineers have provided clear images of nanoplastics on the beaches of China, South Korea, the United States and the Gulf of Mexico. These fine particles of plastic (which come from water bottles, food packaging and clothing) are surprisingly diverse in composition and chemical composition.

“Nanoplastics have more toxic effects than larger plastic particles because their small size gives them the ability to enter biological tissues,” said Tangfai Lu, professor of aerospace and mechanical engineering at the University of Notre Dame. .

Scientists have previously conducted studies using laboratory-made nanoplastic particles to test their toxic effects on aquatic life.

Tengfai Lu’s team teamed up with Wei Zhou’s team at Texas A&M University to look for real nanoplastics in oceans around the world, scientists suspecting that these particles found in the oceans might be found in the lab. can be different from the particles to be formed.

Nanoplastics are thought to be present in very small amounts in the ocean. In their search in the ocean, Tengfei’s team used a special bubble technique they developed to detect DNA for early cancer diagnosis.