Scientists have found plastic in every single animal they studied in the deepest point in the ocean.
Most people are aware of the devastating impact plastic has on the ocean, with eight million metric tonnes dumped in the sea each year.
But scientists wanted to discover just how far-reaching the spread of plastic in the sea is, so they sent vehicles to the deepest, darkest point – the Mariana Trench.
Machines captured amphipods – tiny crustaceans which search the seabed for nutrients – to see if there was any evidence of plastic in their stomachs.
Shockingly, every single amphipod tested in the Mariana Trench had at least one plastic fibre in their digestive systems.
Study
The research, published in the journal Royal Society Open Science, tested six trenches in total, and of all of the creatures tested 72% contained plastic particles.
Even for these elusive creatures, plastic causes potentially huge problems. It is not digestible so cannot pass through their digestive systems, leading animals to have clogged up bodies – and some mistakenly think they are full and starve to death.
Amphipods range between one and 340 millimetres in size, so for them swallowing these tiny fibres is the equivalent of swallowing a metre of plastic rope, according to researchers.
Alan Jamieson, the lead researcher, told the Atlantic: “What you put in the trench stays in the trench. [The plastic problem] is only going to get worse. Anything going in there isn’t coming back.”
Plastic also attracts toxic chemicals, and much of the plastic we have dumped in the ocean has dissolved into the sea.
Fatal
Estimates suggest there are 51 trillion microplastic particles in the oceans already.
For larger animals, swallowing plastic can be fatal, and its increase in the ocean is driving many species to extinction.
Turtles, which often confuse plastic bags for jellyfish, are 20% more likely to die after consuming a single piece of plastic, while many beached whales wash up on shore and are found with stomachs crammed full of plastic.
But the latest research suggest the impact of plastic goes far beyond what’s washing up on our beaches.
What do you think of this research? Tell us in the comments section below!
Lifestyle
Vegan culture, food, beauty & more
81% of military personnel want plant-based meals, new survey reveals
- Mohsina Dodhiya
- 27th June 2022
“As the US military continues to seek ways to best support the overall health and diverse needs of its loyal service members, we’re calling on lawmakers to require all branches of the military to provide plant-based MRE options.” The majority of US military members want vegan Meals, Ready to Eat (MRE), according to a new …
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One more vegan ad banned this week – this time for showing animals in distress
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- 9th June 2022
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QUIZ: If you score 11/12 on this quiz, you’re a verified vegan food expert
- Marlon Farrugia
- 10th January 2020
How much vegan knowledge do you have stored away? Do you have to Google your way through a shopping trip, or do you have all the bad E-numbers memorised? Find out now with this quiz. Marlon Farrugia Marlon Farrugia is a freelance writer from Brighton. He has been a dedicated vegan for many years, and …
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QUIZ: What is your perfect Vegan Halloween Costume?
- Marlon Farrugia
- 13th October 2019
Spook Season approaches. There will be ghosts, goblins, ghouls, and glucose. You need a costume, and you want to it to show off your personality, which means VEGAN. But what to choose? Take our quiz to find out your perfect outfit. Marlon Farrugia Marlon Farrugia is a freelance writer from Brighton. He has been a …
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QUIZ: What kind of vegetable are you?
- Marlon Farrugia
- 26th September 2019
“If you were a vegetable, what kind would you be?” A question that has tormented humanity throughout the ages – until now. Read: QUIZ: If you score 19/20 on THIS quiz, you’re a Vegan God Marlon Farrugia Marlon Farrugia is a freelance writer from Brighton. He has been a dedicated vegan for many years, and …