Читать книгу Plastic and Microplastic in the Environment - Группа авторов - Страница 52

Microplastic waste is a matter of concern for researchers, if we don't find a remediation technique then the time is not far when our green planet would be wrapped in colorful plastics. This is quite evident from the oceans, where MPs have close interaction with all segments including biotic and abiotic. They enter into the organisms bodies via food and water as per their feeding habits. However, their harmful impacts on the body metabolism of organisms largely depend upon the particles size, and the biological processes governing their presence in organisms' bodies. The organisms' bodies have different development stages such as egg, larvae, adults etc., which would define their accumulation, fate, and impacts. Some creatures have a self‐defense mechanism that restricts them to feed upon these harmful MPs that others confuse with prey and consume in huge amounts. Sometimes, particles of size <5 mm can be successfully excreted out of the body, while sometimes they cause blockage of the digestive system and are fatal to organisms.

Studies revealed the presence of MPs in sea products like common salts, which is the main source of dietary iodine to the human community, so they have potential harmful impacts on human health. Their significant presence has been seen in seafood like crustacean, mollusk, fishes, and birds, etc. Therefore, it is a matter of great concern toward food and nutrient safety and security, as human population is exposed to high concentration of these sea products.

There is a vast knowledge gap of MP toxicity in the human body due to limited research. However, the main factors behind its toxicity are largely influenced by exposure route, chemical composition, adsorbed contaminants, and susceptibility of organisms. The research on human health is ethically restricted because of biosecurity measures in human‐sample handling. Therefore, we can conclude the information of exposure and possible toxicity by reviewing the possible impacts on other organisms. However, these plastics being smaller size, generally do not pass through the biological system.

To reduce this problem, the first major step taken should be to reduce the length of our food chain, which can reduce the huge consumption of plastic used in packaging and processing the raw foods. This means fresh vegetable and fruits should be directly taken from garden to the kitchen or to the table, which will reduce the environmental exposure as well as the additional wrapping of plastics for their future use. Instead of using mineral water or packaged drinking water which is filled in plastic bottles, metal or glass bottles should be used for this purpose, as this might reduce the additional MPs in them due to leaching from plastic packagings.