Researchers expressed concern over the widespread presence of microscopic particles of plastic debris in oceans and the possible risk of physical and toxicological damage to the marine life.
Tiny particles of plastics have been found in the subtropical gyres of all the five oceans. Researchers say these have been found in organisms ranging in size from small invertebrates to large mammals, and are known to concentrate toxic chemicals already present in seawater.
This observation comes after a recent research that highlighted concerns about plastic being broken down to tiny particles and entering the global ocean food web. This was theorized after an extensive research found that nearly 99 percent of the plastic dumped in the oceans was missing.
Researchers of this study, Professor Kara Lavender Law, of Sea Education Association (Woods Hole, MA), and Professor Richard Thompson of Plymouth University (UK), say that microplastics is a subject to worry about and efforts are needed to divert the source of this debris away from the ocean, or to "turn off the tap."
"Our scientific understanding of this environmental problem is accelerating rapidly, with many new research efforts that go well beyond simply documenting the presence of plastic in the ocean," said Professor Law.
In 2008, Law had raised concerns about the widespread plastic contamination in the North Atlantic Ocean. He had studied more than 25 years of data collected by the Sea Education Association faculty and undergraduate students from SEA Semester study abroad voyages.
Professor Thompson says that important questions remain unanswered about the amount of microplastic debris that might be accumulating on the seafloor. "We also know very little about where, geographically, are the largest inputs of plastic to the marine environment."
Law says he is optimistic about the solving the issue. "By each of us making small changes in our daily habits -- by carrying reusable water bottles and coffee mugs, for example -- we can collectively reduce our dependence on 'disposable' items that might ultimately be lost to the environment," he said.
