Plastic mammals
(License: Public domain]: Pixabay

Introduction

Even though I am not too sure of many things nowadays, I can be quite certain that I am not the only one who enjoys chewing gum. Most people do - especially those of us with a very stressful work life; chewing gum helps us to really ease off while on the job, and studies say it also helps to boost memory. However, have you ever wondered why we don’t swallow chewing gum?
I’m guessing most people would know the answer to that already - It’s synthetic rubber, which, just like plastics, are made of polymers. Polymers are chemical chains made of small units of, but not limited to, chemical elements such as carbon and hydrogen. These same chemical elements are the forming blocks of crude oil and, oh well, that’s too much toxicity to swallow.
So, if we can’t swallow a chewing gum for the simple fact that it is made of polymer, why then do we intend to start eating plastics, considering that they are also made of polymers? I really have no answer to this question at this time. One thing I do have an answer to is - how we intend to start doing that!
It’s now common knowledge that the presence of plastic wastes in our rivers, oceans and seas is having negative effects on aquatic lives globally. Humans are responsible for dumping these plastics in the water bodies and it seems right now that the biological phenomenon that is - food chain - is karma's way of making us pay for our sins! Let me start by briefly stating some probably popular facts about Plastics.

You say Plastics?

Well, That's all I've been saying! Plastics are made by linking polymers together and they come in different forms depending on the kind of polymer. Plastic bags, used in stores and supermarkets for shopping, for instance, are made of a special kind of polymer known as Polyethylene with the chemical formula (C2H4)n. Polypropylene (C3H6)n is another type of plastic which is used for straws and other related items. Majority of plastics are in fact obtained from petroleum, though bio-plastics, which are new types of plastics, are obtained from microbial fermentation. Nearly all of our household items are made of plastics. Our foods too? Soon, maybe. They are already getting to our rivers and oceans.

How do they get to the Oceans?

There are different ways through which plastics can find their ways to the oceans. One is through run off from rain fall; whenever precipitation occurs, the runoff water follows the path of least resistance to the closest water body. This runoff carries with it, any item found along its path which is light enough to be carried by the runoff velocity. These items often include construction debris and household/office wastes which were not properly disposed of. Plastics are commonly found among the latter category. Another way, which requires little or no technicality, is when people and industries deliberately go to dump their wastes in the water bodies.

Plastic garbage is not so blue
(License: Public Domain]: Pixabay

How do they affect aquatic organisms?

Fish. Once in the water body, plastic debris can injure fish or entangle them, thereby making them easy prey for predators. The other major fatality comes from the ingestion of the plastic by fish as is mistaken for food. Fish in the North Pacific, for instance, have been observed to ingest between 12,000 to 24,000 tons of plastic per year. Once the plastic has been ingested, it can cause damage to internal organs of the fish or affect its digestive tract thereby giving it an artificial sense of being full, thereby causing starvation. Ingestion can also cause toxic chemicals used in the production of plastics, such as phthalates (a plasticizer), to affect the hormone system of the animal. In the event that these plastic debris are not directly ingested by the fish, plastics are broken down in the long term into microscopic particles that can be taken up along with the water that the fish brings in through its gills. The tricky stuff here is that… I’ll complete this under the next subheading.
Fish is not the only aquatic organism affected by this problem. Other marine species like the sea turtles, seals and sea lions, sea birds, dolphins and wales are being adversely impacted too.

How does this affect us?

We are higher trophic level feeders in the food chain. Put aptly – we eat fish!
As I was saying. The tricky stuff is that, these microscopic particles of plastics are getting into the exact part of the fish that we eat – the flesh!
Studies have shown that the fish we consume have at one point in time or the other ingested plastic microfibers. A recent study found that a quarter of the fish at markets in California contained plastic microfibers in their guts. A total of 36 microscopic particles of plastics found in the fleshes of 120 mackerel, anchovies, mullets and croakers was the findings of another study.
Though some of these numbers may seem to be relatively insignificant at this point in time, I really don’t think these findings should be encouraging us to continue the disastrous act of disposing of plastic wastes carelessly. Do you?
A certain Bob commented on one of the articles I recently read on this issue of plastic waste by saying, “I think the fish are going to take revenge”. I think I agree with him, and the irony is - we are helping them do that, and according to another Darlodave, “It's not just fish though. As sea water evaporates it will lift these micro plastics and deposit them on the land where crops are grown. Plastic litter dropped by the roadside will also find its way into the food chain this way.”

Plastic waste, how does it taste?
(License: Public Domain]: Unsplash

Can we prevent this?

Yes! During my small research, I have found a good number of people and institutions that share my concerns and have been suggesting solutions to this problem of plastics finding their way into the marine environment, and subsequently, back to us. These suggestions ranged from setting up nationwide clean-up of beaches, to making plastics more expensive to produce and purchase in order to encourage reuse and recycling (I fully agree), and to doing something as simple as avoiding the petty act of littering, especially when we go for beach picnics. I would love to hear your own thoughts on ‘what we can do about it’ so that we wouldn’t have to end up eating our own plastic wastes, because, I don’t think I can stop eating fish.

REFERENCES

Chewing Gum: Good or Bad? Retrieved on May 28th, 2018

These 5 Marine Animals Are Dying Because of Our Plastic Trash… Here’s how we can help. Retrieved on May 29th, 2018

Plastic waste threat to marine life. Retrieved on May 29th, 2018

OCEAN PLASTICS POLLUTION: A Global Tragedy for Our Oceans and Sea Life. Retrieved on May 29th, 2018

Plastic microparticles found in flesh of fish eaten by humans. Retrieved on May 31st, 2018