A Ticking Time Bomb: The Impact of Marine Microplastics and their Chemical Breakdown on our Ecosystem

The Breakdown of Marine Microplastics

Microplastics can, as a whole, be divided into two types: primary microplastics and secondary microplastics. Primary microplastics are plastics that are deliberately manufactured in the form of tiny particles and are typically found in products such as exfoliating scrubs or industrial abrasives. Secondary microplastics result from larger plastic items degrading due to environmental factors such as UV radiation and exposure to the elements.

Indeed, a huge variety of different types of plastics break down through numerous processes into a staggering array of toxic substances, including some of the following:

Bisphenol A (BPA)

Bisphenol A, widely known as BPA, is a chemical linked to numerous health problems. When polycarbonate plastics degrade through a chemical process called Hydrolysis, they can leech BPA into the water.

Negative Effects of BPA

1. Endocrine Disruption: BPA can imitate estrogen, disrupting hormonal functions in marine life and humans. For example, studies show that even low doses can affect reproductive health, leading to 33% fewer offspring in exposed fish populations.

   
   

2. Behavioral Changes: Fish exposed to BPA have shown altered behaviors such as impaired prey detection, leading to lower survival rates.

   
   

3. Bioaccumulation: BPA can accumulate in marine organisms, entering the human food chain through seafood. In fact, about 90% of the tested fish in certain regions show BPA contamination.

   
   

Phthalates

Phthalates are chemicals commonly used to make plastics more flexible and are prevalent in PVC products. Because these chemicals are not bonded chemically to their host plastics, they are extremely easy to release into the environment at the slightest disturbance

Negative Effects of Phthalates

1. Reproductive Toxicity: Exposure to phthalates has been linked to issues like infertility. Surveys show a 25% increase in developmental delays among offspring of affected species.

   
   

2. Endocrine Disruptors: Like BPA, phthalates can interfere with hormonal balance, influencing growth and behaviors in fish and leading to population declines.

   
   

3. Impact on Biodiversity: Phthalates can foster antibiotic resistance, altering microbial communities and resulting in biodiversity loss in marine ecosystems.

   
   

Heavy Metals

Microplastics can also absorb dangerous heavy metals, including cadmium, lead, and mercury. This is because their surfaces on a microscopic level are much "stickier" than other substances and often are porous. As microplastics degrade, these metals can be released back into the marine environment.

Negative Effects of Heavy Metals

1. Toxicity: Many heavy metals (and particularly cadmium) are highly toxic, with potentially lethal effects on marine life. Research indicates that exposure can result in up to a 50% increase in mortality rates for certain fish species.

   
   

2. Bioaccumulation: Heavy metals build up in marine organisms, presenting risks to predators higher up the food chain, including humans.

   
   

3. Neurological Damage: Exposure to mercury specifically is known to cause neurological impairments in marine species.

   
   

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs)

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons are organic compounds produced from the incomplete burning of many different types of substances, including plastics. While not directly related to the natural breakdown of microplastics, these compounds can attach to microplastics and use them as a vehicle to enter marine ecosystems. High levels of microplastics are heavily correlated with the prevalence of PAHs

Negative Effects of PAHs

1. Carcinogenic Properties: The majority of PAHs are recognized carcinogens, increasing cancer risks in marine life and humans alike. Over half of seafood species in some especially badly affected regions in the world show PAH concentrations above safe levels.

   
   

2. Reproductive Issues: PAHs interfere with reproductive hormones, leading to a decline of in fertility rates in fish exposed to these chemicals.

   
   

3. Bioaccumulation: Like other harmful substances, PAHs accumulate in marine organisms, threatening species higher on the food chain.

   
   

Microbial Biofilms

Remember how I said plastics have a very sticky and porous surface? Microorganisms love to attach to microplastics and form biofilms

Negative Effects of Microbial Biofilms

1. Pathogen Transfer: Biofilms can harbor bacteria that are pathogenic in many species of marine animals. There is some evidence that bacteria associated with biofilms supported by microplastics can cause disease outbreaks among marine populations.

   
   

2. Toxin Production: Certain biofilms produce toxins detrimental to marine life and may pose health risks to humans.

   
   

The Many, Many Other Chemical Additives in Plastics

This blog post would be several thousand words longer if I had to fully list every type of chemical additive mixed in with plastics to improve one or more of their physical or chemical properties, but it feels wrong to not even mention the huge array of these chemicals at least in passing. When microplastics break down, a great many of these additives can leach into the environment, especially when these additives are not chemically bound to the plastics themselves. introducing additional risks beyond the risks posed by the plastics themselves. Phthalates (the most well known of these) were mentioned earlier, but just to name a few more types of plastic additive:

• Anti-adhesive additives

• Heat Stabilizers

• Antioxidants

• Antistatic agents

And there are dozens and dozens of chemicals that fulfill each of these roles. Many are Persistent Organic Pollutants, such as PFCs. Its no understatement to say that we have a deadly chemical cocktail brewing in our oceans and it will devastate the ocean ecosystem if we dont act collectively and act quickly to stop it.

Urgent Action Is Needed

The breakdown of marine microplastics and their additives poses a serious threat, releasing a toxic grab-bag of dozens upon dozens of harmful chemicals that are proven to endanger marine life and ecosystems.

To combat this growing crisis, it is crucial for researchers, policymakers, and the general public to raise awareness and take action. Initiatives like reducing plastic use, investing in biodegradable or nontoxic alternatives, and creating effective waste management systems can and must mitigate and eventually eliminate the influx of microplastics into our oceans.

We have a moral duty and a powerful economic interest in protecting marine ecosystems for future generations. With collective effort and a restructuring of our manufacturing systems I am confident this is possible, so long as we actually try