{"id":354929,"date":"2026-03-30T08:58:07","date_gmt":"2026-03-30T08:58:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/354929\/"},"modified":"2026-03-30T08:58:07","modified_gmt":"2026-03-30T08:58:07","slug":"how-microplastics-threaten-marine-ecosystems-and-the-food-chain-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/354929\/","title":{"rendered":"How Microplastics Threaten Marine Ecosystems And The Food Chain"},"content":{"rendered":"

Monday, 30 March 2026, 8:39 pm
Article: Independent Media Institute<\/a><\/p>\n

Microplastics, plastic particles smaller than 5
\nmillimeters, can be found in land, air, and water, and have
\ninfiltrated our food chain, resulting in far-reaching health
\nconsequences for humans and nonhumans alike. In 2020, scientists
\ndiscovered the \u201chighest level of microplastic ever
\nrecorded on the seafloor,\u201d revealing the extent of their
\nimpact on the marine ecosystem.<\/p>\n

The lead author of the
\nstudy, Ian Kane from the University of Manchester, said:
\n\u201cAlmost everybody has heard of the infamous ocean
\n\u2018garbage patches\u2019 of floating plastic, but we were
\nshocked at the high concentrations of microplastics we found
\nin the deep-seafloor.\u201d<\/p>\n

These microplastics enter the
\nmarine ecosystem directly and indirectly, for example, from
\nlandfills, where they are carried by wind into rivers and
\nseas. \u201cIt is estimated that 8 million tonnes of plastics
\nenter the seas and oceans each year,\u201d stated
\na 2021 study published in MDPI.<\/p>\n

Mussels can act as
\nsentinels to assess and monitor microplastic pollution.
\nGlobally distributed in both freshwater and saltwater
\necosystems as filter feeders, mussels are both sensitive to
\nenvironmental pollution and play a key role in engineering
\naquatic ecosystems by processing huge quantities of
\nwater.<\/p>\n

With serious concerns about microplastic
\ncontamination of food, particularly
\nseafood, and human bodies growing, mussels will
\ninevitably serve as an increasingly
\nimportant bioindicator of microplastic pollution from
\nthe present into the future.<\/p>\n

The Impacts of Plastic
\nDisintegration<\/p>\n

Advertisement – scroll to continue reading<\/p>\n

Manmade, fossil fuel-based plastics
\ndon\u2019t biodegrade like natural materials; instead, they
\nbreak up into increasingly tiny plastic particles. Scientists
\ncategorize these particles by size: those 5\u201310
\nmillimeters are called \u201cmesoplastics,\u201d those between 1
\nnanometer and 5 millimeters (about the diameter of a pencil
\neraser) are called \u201cmicroplastics,\u201d and those 1
\nnanometer (a human hair is 80,000-100,000
\ntimes nanometers wide) and smaller are
\n\u201cnanoplastics.\u201d While nanoplastics are too small to be
\nseen, microplastics and mesoplastics are fairly
\nvisible.<\/p>\n

Microplastics that are \u201cintentionally
\nproduced\u201d for inclusion in cosmetics or exfoliating
\nproducts, such as soap scrubs and toothpastes, are typically
\nmanufactured as tiny beads or flat pieces of glitter. These
\nready-made microplastics are called \u201cprimary\u201d
\nmicroplastics. Primary microplastics also include
\nnurdles\u2014small pellets of plastic melted down into the
\nplastic products we are familiar with. Nurdles are often
\ndischarged into waterways through industrial
\nwastewater runoff from plastic production facilities,
\nand during shipping
\nfires and spills from cargo ships. About 445,970
\ntons of nurdles are estimated to directly pollute the
\nenvironment globally every year, especially aquatic
\necosystems.<\/p>\n

Plastic particles that form due to the
\ndisintegration of plastic materials are called \u201csecondary\u201d
\nmicroplastics. These particles may be pieces of plastic
\nfilm, fibers (from textiles and rope), foam, hard or soft
\nfragments, and lines (such as from fishing gear). They break
\ndown from plastic packaging, synthetic textiles, paint, and
\nother plastic materials used in our homes. Plastic\u2019s breakdown
\nis accelerated by sunlight, extreme temperatures,
\nexposure to bacteria, fungi, and water, and by
\nweathering.<\/p>\n

These particles were first documented in
\nmarine ecosystems in the early 1970s
\nand have since been found in indoor and outdoor air,
\ndrinking water, fresh and processed foods, fresh waters,
\nhousehold dust, plants and trees, oceans, soils, and in
\nanimals\u2014including humans.<\/p>\n

Plastics are not only
\nharmful to our health but also impose significant economic
\ncosts. \u201cEstimates suggest that plastic pollution causes
\nabout $75 billion per year in environmental damages, with
\n$13 billion of this tied to marine ecosystems. For example,
\nplastic pollution can deplete fish stocks and impact coastal
\ntourism by littering popular beaches. It can damage
\ninfrastructure like urban drainage systems. It can even
\nde-operationalize or sink ships by entangling propellers or
\nclogging water intake systems responsible for cooling their
\nengines,\u201d pointed
\nout the World Resources Institute.<\/p>\n

Microplastics
\nThreaten Marine Life<\/p>\n

While plastic particles have
\nvirtually contaminated the entire Earth due to their
\nconstant movement through the biosphere, marine ecosystems
\nin particular are a major repository for mesoplastics,
\nmicroplastics, and nanoplastics. Freshwater systems empty
\ninto the oceans, and populous
\ncoastal areas\u2014especially those that have been
\nindustrialized\u2014are major sources of microplastic pollution
\nin marine ecosystems. About
\n80 percent of plastics in the oceans are estimated to
\nhave traveled there via rivers and other freshwater systems.
\nFlooding
\nand weather events can push microplastics into rivers in
\nsignificant quantities.<\/p>\n

A 2021 report
\nby the UN Environment Program (UNEP) stated that plastic
\naccounts for 85 percent of marine litter, and by 2040, we
\ncan expect the volume of plastic pollution to nearly triple
\nif we don\u2019t take preventative measures.<\/p>\n

Fish and
\nother marine animals are exposed to microplastics in waters
\nand sediments, from the sea surface to the seafloor. Many
\nanimals, including some fish
\nspecies that people eat, consume nurdles and other round
\nmicroplastics because they resemble their usual food
\nsources, such as fish eggs and other plankton. Some fish
\nspecies and marine animals are attracted
\nto the smell of weathered plastic particles. Even
\nrelatively small amounts of plastic can be deadly to marine
\nwildlife. For example, a 2025 study
\nin the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
\nsuggests consuming the equivalent volume of less than one
\nsugar cube of plastic can kill one in two Atlantic puffins;
\nless than half a baseball\u2019s size in plastics can kill one
\nin two Loggerhead turtles; and the amount of plastic in less
\nthan a sixth of a soccer ball can kill one in two harbor
\nporpoises.<\/p>\n

Microplastic consumption has been linked to
\nadverse health effects in marine animals, including mussels.
\n\u201cCirculatory system of fish is impacted by the
\nmicroplastic bioaccumulation in their tissues, influencing a
\nnumber of hematological indices that are connected with
\nimmunity, osmotic pressure, blood clotting, molecular
\ntransport and fat metabolism,\u201d stated a 2024 study
\nin Toxicology Reports. Microplastics and plastic chemicals
\nhave also been linked
\nto gastrointestinal blockages, neurological
\nissues, starvation, toxicity, and reproductive issues in
\nmarine life.<\/p>\n

Filter feeders, including mussels,
\nhave limited abilities to sort and reject plastic particles
\nas they siphon water for food. Mussels
\npull in about one-fourth cup of sea water per minute, a
\nhuge volume for a small animal. Studies have shown mussels
\nfrom different regions with varying
\nquantities and types of microplastics in their soft
\ntissues and digestive systems. Mussels and other
\nfilter-feeding shellfish ingest greater
\namounts of microplastics than other marine creatures.
\nLike other pollutants, microplastics bioaccumulate
\nup the food web, concentrating inside the bodies of
\npredators as they consume prey.<\/p>\n

Ingestion of polyester
\nplastic fibers has been shown to stunt
\nthe growth of young blue mussels by more than one-third.
\nSmaller mussels with lower growth rates and stressors like
\ninflammation
\ncan reduce the survival of mussels, and thus the overall
\navailability of food sources for animals that prey on them,
\nfrom birds to crabs, starfish, whelks, and, of course,
\npeople. Microplastics have also been linked to cellular
\nand molecular damage in mussels.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s more, chemicals commonly
\nmanufactured into plastics, such as heavy
\nmetals, phthalates,
\nand PFAS,
\nhave also been shown to bioaccumulate
\nin the marine food web.<\/p>\n

Marine Microplastic Pollution
\nRaises Human Health Concerns<\/p>\n

Microplastics have been
\ndetected
\nthroughout the human body, in people\u2019s
\nbloodstreams,
\nbones, bone marrow,
\nbrains,
\nbreast milk,
\nurine and feces of adults and infants,
\nhair,
\nhearts,
\nkidneys,
\nlivers,
\nlungs,
\npenises,
\nplacentas,
\nsaliva and sputum,
\nsemen,
\nskin,
\nspleens,
\nstomachs,
\ntestes, throat
\nand airways,
\nuteruses, and
\nveins.<\/p>\n

The presence of microplastics in people has
\nbeen linked to
\nAlzheimer\u2019s disease, dementia
\n(in mice),
\nParkinson\u2019s disease, and other neurodegenerative
\ndisorders; inflammation,
\nheart attack, stroke, and death; they have been found in
\nsamples of
\nbladder cancer; and are suspected to harm
\nhuman fertility and reproductive health. Exposure to
\nmicroplastic particles is also linked to
\ncell damage and death.<\/p>\n

Exactly how and why
\nmicroplastics cause harm is under investigation. But
\nscientists do know that microplastic particles can contain
\nany number of 16,000 plastic
\nchemicals, at least 4,200 of which have already been
\nlinked to adverse human health effects, including causing
\ncancer and disrupting
\nhormones.<\/p>\n

In fish, microplastics tend to accumulate
\nin the gills and digestive system, so it would seem that
\neviscerating fish before human consumption would minimize
\nexposure. However, gilling and gutting fish does
\nnot necessarily eliminate microplastics. What\u2019s more,
\nsome seafood, including some bivalves, crustaceans, and
\noilfish like sardines, are typically eaten whole, and it\u2019s
\nnot always possible or practical to excise microplastic
\nhotspots in their bodies. Seafood may contain more
\nmicroplastics during
\ncertain seasons due to changes in ocean currents,
\nrainfall and runoff, flooding, and other factors that
\nincrease pollution.<\/p>\n

\u201cResearchers estimate that
\nadults in the United States may ingest nearly 4 million
\nmicroplastic particles per year from protein sources
\nalone,\u201d stated
\nEarthDay.org.<\/p>\n

Scientists are still determining the
\nfull range of risks linked to human consumption of
\nmicroplastics. Recommendations
\non the frequency and type of seafood consumption, based on
\nage, sex, and pregnancy status, currently exist in the United
\nStates and Europe
\nto minimize exposure to chemicals like PCBs and mercury.
\nHowever, pollutants on which such guidelines have been
\ndeveloped do not necessarily include
\nmicroplastics.<\/p>\n

The Way Forward<\/p>\n

The fact that
\nseafood\u2014and other major sources of nutrition, including fresh
\nfruits and vegetables\u2014are increasingly polluted with
\nmicroplastics is a serious concern for human health.
\nBillions of people around the world depend on seafood as a
\nkey source of nourishment (not to mention their
\nlivelihoods).<\/p>\n

Scientists continue to search for
\nmicroplastics inside the flesh, gills, and guts of marine
\nanimals eaten as seafood, including mussels. Researchers
\nhave found microplastics in
\nall of the most-eaten mussel species purchased from
\nmarkets, with an average of 0.13 to 2.45 microplastic
\nparticles per gram of mussel meat. The most contaminated
\norganisms were found in the North Atlantic and South
\nPacific. In another 2024 study, researchers found that 99
\npercent of seafood samples purchased in stores and
\ncollected from fishing vessels on the U.S. West Coast
\ncontained microplastics, with shrimp being the most
\ncontaminated type of seafood studied.<\/p>\n

The study and
\nunderstanding of how microplastics affect food safety is
\nstill in its \u201cinfancy.\u201d Advanced analytical methods can
\nhelp ensure more accurate detection of microplastic levels
\nin certain foods, thereby enhancing monitoring. Governments,
\nmeanwhile, need to step up regulations and ensure
\n\u201cspecific practices in food production, processing, and
\npackaging to minimize the introduction and spread of
\nmicroplastics,\u201d according
\nto an article in Smart Food Safe. Greater Industrial and
\ninternational cooperation to address the issue can lead to
\nconsistent standards to make the food chain safer from
\nmicroplastics. Moreover, \u201cRegularly updating methodologies
\nand standards based on new scientific findings ensures that
\nstrategies remain effective and aligned with the latest
\nknowledge,\u201d added the article.<\/p>\n

California is leading
\nthe U.S. in monitoring microplastics in the marine
\nenvironment. In 2022, it established its Statewide
\nMicroplastics Strategy, focusing on identifying
\nmicroplastic pollution trends, risks, and sources. Academics
\ncontinue to focus on monitoring microplastics, increasingly
\nin sentinel species like mussels, often with the help of
\ncommunity scientists.<\/p>\n

Mitigating Plastic Pollution
\nNeeds to Start at the Source<\/p>\n

Pressure
\nfrom consumers and strong policies, such
\nas bans and taxes on single-use plastic products, can help
\neliminate plastic that inevitably breaks down into secondary
\nmicroplastics. These actions are necessary to force
\nbusinesses to move away from plastic and adopt
\nplastic-free practices and products. Other laws, like the
\nEuropean Parliament\u2019s 2025 legally
\nbinding regulation implementing mandatory prevention
\nmeasures relating to \u201cpellet loss\u201d and the U.S. Microbead-Free
\nWaters Act of 2015, which \u201cprohibits
\nthe manufacturing, packaging, and distribution of rinse-off
\ncosmetics containing plastic microbeads,\u201d further help
\naddress the issue of primary sources of microplastic
\npollution upstream.<\/p>\n

Litigation is also another tool
\nutilized by communities and organizations to hold polluters
\naccountable. Some cases successfully
\ntarget downstream pollution resulting from
\nmicroplastics. Others are working to address
\nlongstanding systemic issues like racism that perpetuate
\nthe unjust targeting of underserved communities as
\n\u201csacrifice zones\u201d for industrial polluters. While some
\nothers are challenging
\npolluters\u2019 use of false and misleading marketing
\nclaims around their plastic products labeled as
\n\u201csustainable\u201d or \u201chealthy.\u201d<\/p>\n

The key to
\nmitigating plastic pollution is starting at the source, with
\nfossil fuel extraction and plastic production. Ultimately,
\nsociety needs to shift its reliance on fossil fuels and
\nplastics toward safe, plastic-free reuse and regenerative
\nsolutions at a systemic level.<\/p>\n

Plastic recycling is
\nnot a solution in and of itself; it actually can perpetuate
\nplastic production and requires virgin (new) plastic and
\nplastic additives, as plastic diminishes in quality with
\neach round of recycling.<\/p>\n

\u201cFossil fuel and other
\npetrochemical companies have used the false promise of
\nplastic recycling to exponentially increase virgin plastic
\nproduction over the last six decades, creating and
\nperpetuating the global plastic waste crisis and imposing
\nhigh costs on communities that are left to pay for the
\nconsequences\u2026 As of 2021, the U.S. recycling rate for
\nplastic is estimated to be only 5-6 percent,\u201d according
\nto a 2024 report by the Center for Climate
\nIntegrity.<\/p>\n

Plastic and fossil fuel corporations have
\nlong pushed recycling as a solution to plastic pollution,
\nwhen in reality, ceasing plastic production is the core
\nsolution. Inevitably, some recycling may be required in the
\nfuture to address the plastic already in circulation, but
\nrecycling practices might be improved to prevent further
\nharm. Similarly, while cleanups cannot solve the problem,
\nthey will inevitably be needed in the future to reduce the
\nrisks posed by microplastics.<\/p>\n

Microplastics are a
\nsystemic pollution problem requiring a coordinated
\nglobal response, such as a strong Global
\nPlastics Treatythat addresses plastic pollution
\nthroughout its toxic life cycle. While negotiations on the
\ntreaty continue,
\ncountries need to take steps to reduce plastic production
\nand use, and consumers need to make better choices to drive
\nchange at the individual level. These steps are necessary to
\nmitigate the damage already caused by the unchecked plastic
\nuse and to ensure a more sustainable
\nfuture.<\/p>\n

Author Bio: Erica
\nCirino is a writer, artist, and author who explores the
\nintersection of the human and more-than-human worlds. Her
\nphotographic and written works have appeared in Scientific
\nAmerican, the Guardian, VICE, Hakai Magazine, the Atlantic,
\nand other publications. She is a recipient of fellowships
\nfrom the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, the Craig
\nNewmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY, and others,
\nas well as several awards for visual art. She is a
\ncontributor to the Observatory.<\/p>\n

This
\narticle was produced by Earth
\n| Food | Life, a project of the Independent Media
\nInstitute.<\/p>\n

\n\u00a9 Scoop Media<\/a>
\n
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