Lorena Rios and colleagues at the University of the Pacific in Stockton, California, USA, have
found that floating plastic debris in the ocean adsorbs pollutants found in the water. Pollutants including PCB’s(polychlorinated byphenyls) in marine environments normally tend to accumulate in sediments. This research, however, shows that plastic debris acts like a floating version of sediments – absorbing and concentrating pollutants from seawater.
Plastic debris from the Pacific Ocean
Plastic pollution is a big issue because plastic materials do not readily biodegrade. They remain a
source of toxins (including endocrine disruptors) to marine organisms over a long period. Considerable challenges lie ahead to address this problem: “The dangers of ingestion of contaminated plastic by marine creatures is an important but difficult message to convey to the general public” explains Rios.
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