27 million tons of nanoplastics: danger to the sea and people!

27 million tons of nanoplastics: danger to the sea and people!

The alarming amount of plastic waste in the North Atlantic has led to intensive research in recent years. A recent study conducted by researchers at the Helmholtz Center for Environmental Research in Leipzig and the National Oceanography Center in Southampton shows that there are an estimated 27 million tons of nanoplastics in the upper part of the North Atlantic. This finding is published in the respected journal “Nature”, as Tagesspiegel reports.

Nanoplastics, which result from the breakdown of larger plastic items such as bottles and bags, are not only dangerous to the environment, but also to marine organisms. Melanie Bergmann (AWI) emphasizes that these tiny particles can penetrate a larger number of organisms and their tissues, leading to serious changes at the cellular level. What is particularly worrying is that the concentrations of nanoplastics in coastal areas are up to a thousand times higher than in the open sea. This could have far-reaching effects on the marine ecosystem.

The health risks to marine life

The study identifies some of the dangers associated with nanoplastics. These include stunted growth, reproductive problems, physiological stress and immune system disorders in aquatic organisms. Another problem is the damaging effect of nanoplastics on the chloroplasts of algae, which could reduce the rate of photosynthesis. This could impair CO₂ uptake, which could further exacerbate global warming, as Geo points out.

A key result of the study shows that the measurement data comes from twelve locations in the North Atlantic. The researchers found different concentrations: An average of 25 mg of nanoplastics per cubic meter of water were measured near the coast, while only 7.5 mg were recorded at a depth of 1,000 meters. This suggests that the near-surface waters are more contaminated than the deep waters. Only polyethylene terephthalate (PET) was detected in the deep sea, but not the widely used plastics polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP).

Need for political action

The urgent need for political measures to reduce the plastic problem is emphasized by Martin Wagner (NTNU). Despite the knowledge about the extent of the nanoplastic problem, the need for research remains high, particularly with regard to the biological effects of these particles. Mark Lenz (Geomar) warns of the poor data situation on nanoplastics, which makes it difficult to fully assess the situation.

These new insights into the distribution and dangers of nanoplastics in the North Atlantic contribute significantly to our understanding of global plastic pollution and highlight the urgency of taking immediate action to protect and preserve marine ecosystems.