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Microplastic Pollution Is Messing with Photosynthesis in Plants: Report

Microplastic pollution is reducing the ability of plants to photosynthesize by 7% to 12%, according to research from China and a study analyzing 157 previous studies.
This pollution could lead to a 4% to 14% reduction in the annual global production of rice, wheat, and maize, impacting food security.
The research suggests that microplastics could increase the number of people at risk of starvation, potentially affecting hundreds of millions.
Experts warn that the findings may be speculative and highlight the need for more research on the varied impact of microplastics.

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Smithsonian Mag

Microplastics Are Making Photosynthesis Harder for Plants—and That Could Slash Crop Yields, Study Suggests

On average, these little particles could reduce photosynthesis in plants and algae by up to 12 percent, according to the paper

1 day ago·United States

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Vice

It’s Raining Microplastics and Forever Chemicals

Other than having an extremely metal name, acid rain was once a major concern for folks in what we can now consider the distant past of American history—the 1970s until about the mid-90s. It was a genuine problem where polluted rain fueled by emissions from coal plants and car exhaust would kill off plant and animal life. Politically, there was more cooperation back then. There was once a point in American history when Republicans would do somet…

1 day ago·New York, United States

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thecooldown.com

Scientists make alarming discovery about health risks for people living near roadways: 'High uncertainties'

Research conducted in the Philippines reveals high levels of microplastics in urban road dust, which poses serious health risks for anyone in the area. What's happening? A study conducted by researchers from the Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology and published in The Philippine Journal of Science found road dust microplastics on city roads. The microplastics were found in dust samples collected from three different station…

World-first analysis of seabirds who’ve eaten plastic reveals slow, insidious health impacts

Ingested plastic recovered from one of the shearwater chicks included in the study. Jennifer LaversWe all know microplastics are bad for the environment and our health, but do we really know how bad? Our new study, published this week in the journal Science Advances, compared changes in 745 proteins found in seabirds with and without plastics in their stomachs. We focused on young sable shearwaters (seabirds, Ardenna carneipes). They were less t…

2 days ago

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News Medical

PlasticHeal project sheds light on hidden health effects of nanoplastics

Microplastics and nanoplastics, two of the smallest and most invisible forms of plastic pollution, may pose risks to human health.

3 days ago·United States

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Phys.org

Microplastics may threaten global food supply by disrupting photosynthesis

A team of environmental researchers, Earth scientists and pollution specialists at Nanjing University, the Chinese Academy of Sciences and colleagues from Germany and the U.S. has found evidence that microplastics have a negative impact on photosynthesis in terrestrial, marine, and freshwater ecosystems.

4 days ago·United Kingdom

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