Plastic pollution in the oceans harms the bacteria that create the oxygen we breathe

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A study reveals that plastic pollution in the oceans harms the bacteria responsible for 10% of the oxygen we breathe

  • The researchers took fragments of a thin plastic bag and a PVC mat
  • Experts from Macquarie University left them in artificial seawater for five days
  • Bacteria called Prochlorococcus were then exposed to the artificial product of seawater.
  • This changed their growth pattern and triggered stress-related genes

By Victoria Allen Daily Mail Scientific Correspondent

Published on: 10:50 am EDT, May 14, 2019 | Update: 10:51 am EDT May 14, 2019

Plastic pollution in the oceans could harm the bacteria humans need to help us breathe.

One tenth of the oxygen we breathe comes from only one type of oceanic bacterium, through photosynthesis.

However, a study found that chemicals that, by leaching plastic waste, can prevent bacteria from producing oxygen and adversely affect its growth.

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Plastic pollution in the oceans could harm bacteria (see photo) that humans need to help us breathe. One tenth of the oxygen we breathe comes from a single type of oceanic bacterium, through photosynthesis

Plastic pollution in the oceans could harm bacteria (see photo) that humans need to help us breathe. One tenth of the oxygen we breathe comes from a single type of oceanic bacterium, through photosynthesis

The scientists took fragments of a thin plastic bag and a PVC mat, which were left in artificial seawater for five days.

When their chemicals were leached, the bacteria called Prochlorococcus were exposed to "seawater," which altered their growth pattern and triggered stress-related genes.

The results raise important concerns, plastic in the ocean ahead of the fish by 2050 and the bacteria that it affects so essential to the air we need to survive.

Lisa Moore, co-author of the Australian Macquarie University study, said: "These tiny microorganisms are essential to the marine food web, contribute to the carbon cycle and account for 10% of total global production. # 39; oxygen.

"So one out of every 10 oxygen breath is inspired by these little guys, but we know almost nothing about how marine bacteria, such as Prochlorococcus, react to human pollutants."

Lead author, Dr. Sasha Tetu, from the same university, said, "Our data show that plastic pollution can have extensive impacts on ecosystems beyond the known effects on macro-organisms, such as seabirds and turtles. " fish and other marine animals swallowing or entangling in plastic. However, the equipment also threatens the smaller inhabitants of the ocean.

One study found that chemicals leaking from plastic waste (photo) can prevent bacteria from producing oxygen and impairing its growth. The results raise important concerns, plastic in the ocean ahead of the fish by 2050

One study found that chemicals leaking from plastic waste (photo) can prevent bacteria from producing oxygen and impairing its growth. The results raise important concerns, plastic in the ocean ahead of the fish by 2050

These are cyanobacteria like Prochlorococcus, which would have made the Earth habitable for animal and human life, using photosynthesis to turn the sun's energy and water into respirable oxygen.

There are now about three octillions of tiny green Prochlorococcus bacteria living in the world's oceans. To understand this huge number, an octillion has 27 zeros at the end, one million has six zeros and one billion has nine.

To determine if plastic could affect bacteria, the researchers exposed cells from two strains found at different depths of the ocean to leached chemical substances from plastic bags and PVC.

PVC had the worst effect, completely stopping the production of oxygen at one of the strains after 24 hours.

The chemicals contained in the gray plastic grocery bags began to reduce the production of oxygen in both strains after 24 hours.

Both chemicals prevented bacteria from developing properly and prevented photosynthesis, while altering the activity of their genes.

The study, published in the journal Communications Biology, suggests that PVC can be very harmful because it contains "plasticizers" to make the material more flexible, as well as corrosive chemicals to keep it clean and regulate its temperature.

Dr. Tetu said: "We would now like to determine if plastic pollution has the same impact on these microbes in the ocean."

HOW DO MICROPLASTICS RENT IN THE OCEANS OF THE RIVERS?

According to scientists, flooding in urban areas is causing microplastics to reach our oceans faster than expected, according to scientists studying pollution in rivers.

The Greater Manchester waterways are now so contaminated with microplastics that particles are found in every sample, even the smallest streams.

The researchers found that this pollution contributed greatly to ocean contamination as part of the first comprehensive study of the entire watershed in the world.

These debris, including microbeads and microfibres, are toxic to ecosystems.

Scientists tested 40 sites around Manchester and found that each stream contained these small toxic particles.

Microplastics are very small pieces of plastic debris, including microbeads, microfibers and plastic fragments.

It has long been known that they enter river systems from multiple sources, including industrial effluents, storm sewers and domestic sewage.

However, although it is thought that about 90% of the microplastic contamination in the oceans comes from the earth, little is known about their movements.

Most of the rivers surveyed contained about 517,000 plastic particles per square meter, according to researchers at the University of Manchester who conducted this detailed study.

After a major flood period, the researchers re-sampled all the sites.

They found that levels of contamination had decreased in the majority of them and that the flood had removed about 70% of the microplastics stored in the river beds.

This demonstrates that floods can transfer large amounts of microplastics from an urban river to the oceans.

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