Our health is seriously damaged by plastic and the chemicals in it
Minderoo Foundation releases new report: Our health is seriously damaged by plastic and the chemicals in it.
Microplastics can damage fish livers
Ingestion of microplastics can have a negative impact on fish by causing damage and changes to their livers. These effects were first observed by scientists from the University of California and San Diego State University, USA and published in Nature Scientific Reports.
The scientists set up an experiment where they divided fish into 3 groups – each having a different diet. For a period of 2 months, fish either had a plastic free diet, were fed with food containing virgin plastic or food containing marine plastic. Due to keeping the marine plastic particles in the sea for 3 months prior to the experiments the marine plastic particles contained additional toxic chemicals.
Experiment results showed that:
- Livers from fish with a plastic diet showed signs of toxicity
- One fish that was fed with virgin plastic developed a precursor to a liver tumor
- One fish that was fed the marine plastic developed a tumor comprising 25% of the liver
- Negative effects on the liver were in general greater in fish that ate marine plastic particles, which scientists linked to additional toxic chemicals found on these particles.
By doing an experiment close to natural conditions scientists showed that such effects probably also occur in the natural environment. The scientists conclude that the plastics used can act as a vector for the bio-accumulation of toxic substances in fish, and that toxicity resulting from plastic ingestion is a consequence of both the sorbed contaminants and plastic material.
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