Microplastics : menace to the food chain

Abstract

Research from 2015 has shown that around six million metric tons of plastic finds its way into the oceans each year from land-based sources. Unfortunately, this number will continue to inevitably increase while strong currents disintegrate the plastic through erosion. As a result, data has shown that fish and shellfish are constantly suffering from the ill effects of such waste. For instance, microplastics can block the digestive tracts and alter the feeding behaviour of marine fauna. They can even have a negative impact on the reproductive systems of certain aquatic species (such as oysters and plankton), while some would also end up starving to death as their stomachs would be full of plastic and other marine litter. [excerpt]