In a new study published in Environmental Science & Technology, researchers in China used sediment samples taken from a lake to construct a timeline of microplastic pollution over the past century.
In short:
- The earliest microplastics were detected in layers of sediment from 1955, with the amount of microplastics rising rapidly after the 1970s.
- While 16 types of polymers were detected, polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) accounted for over 45% of the microplastic particles found.
- PE and PP are both primary components of plastic films used in agriculture, highlighting how socioeconomic factors like new farming technology and crop output can impact microplastic pollution.
Key quote:
"The intensification of agricultural, industrial, and residential activities surged the plastic production and consumption after 1978, thereby leading to a huge growth of microplastic- releasing sources."
Why this matters:
Plastic use has continued to grow exponentially since the mid-twentieth century, with nearly a metric ton of plastic waste produced for every person on the planet. Recent studies have confirmed that microplastics are present in everything from bottled water to all parts of the human body that have been examined. Studies such as this are important in helping to further our understanding of how human activity influences the creation and release of microplastic pollution.
Related EHN coverage:
- Op-ed: A plastic recipe for societal suicide
- Agricultural plastic linked to build up of harmful chemicals in wheat
More resources: CUSP is a European research cluster focused on understanding the health impacts of micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs). Watch the recording of their recent webinar, Micro- and nanoplastics and public health: EU research findings, sponsored by the EDC Strategies Partnership.
Ji, Quingsong et al. for Environmental Science & Technology. June 12, 2024
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