Intro Microplastic particles in wastewater have become a global issue that is having detrimental effects on not only the water system, but the food chain as well. Many countries have recognized these tiny plastic particles as a problem, and are in the process of banning manufacturers from producing products such as toothpastes and body cleansers that contain polyethylene microbeads. The objective of this review is to shed light on the prevalence of microbeads in our water systems they cannot be filtered out of the water due to their small size. This in turn is putting many ecosystems at risk, and could potentially be quite harmful to humans in the long run.
Relevance of water quality issue This issue affects mankind, aquatic species, and
Biodegradable polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) microbeads are soluble and can biodegrade in both aerobic and anaerobic environments. Substituting these PHA microbeads for the current PCB microbeads being used in exfoliates, cosmetics, and toothpaste would significantly minimize the potential threat that the current microbeads are posing.
Summary
Microbeads are continuously entering our rivers, lakes, oceans and seas. Many studies, including the ones previously mentioned have indicated that microbeads can pose immediate and long term threat to human beings and marine environments.
Unfortunately, there is not enough reliable data and research yet to indicate how many microbeads are polluting the water system. Several states and countries have either banned, or are in the process of banning products containing microbeads. These are steps in the right direction, however the only stable solution will have to be an amalgamation of more scientific research to figure out technologically innovative and effective initiatives to reduce, reuse and recycle the plastics, whether micro or macro, that are polluting the
Khosravi K, Ataei E, Mousavi M, et al. Effect of Phosphoric Acid Etching of Enamel Margins on the Microleakage of a Simplified All-in One and Self-etch Adhesive System. Operative Dentistry 2009; 34(5):531-36.
A study done at the Institute of Biomaterials and Bioengineering in Tokyo analyzed BPA release from orthodontic brackets submerged in water. ...
Altogether, PVC has been shown to be dangerous during formation, disposal, and the lifecycle between. PVC is part of many products that humans use on a daily basis, but there are proposed alternatives to PVC plastics. Today, silicone and rubber are materials that could take place of PVC in medical tubing or linoleum on the floor, which could lead to healthier cheaper options (APHA, 2011, p. 4). Overall, the material can cause to many negative health effects and poses a great risk to our environment, which ultimately will come back to impact
According to Laura Parker, a Senior Staff Writer for National Geographic, 40% of plastic is manufactured for single use, and 91% of all plastic manufactured never gets recycled.3 One of the most detrimental types of single-use plastics are microbeads, tiny plastic bits used in various cosmetic products that get washed into sewer systems and ultimately end up in our oceans. Other plastic products also become as small as some microbeads over time through the process of degradation, which turns otherwise-large plastic products into dangerous microplastics. The problem of microplastics was first realized in 2004, and the first assessment of its prominence was carried out as recently as 2015.3 As for the dilemma of the Garbage Patch itself, it was brought to the world’s attention by Charles Moore who discovered the patch in
There is also debate on how much better biodegradable plastics are in the first place. This is because as biodegradable plastics break down, they break up into smaller and smaller pieces, but never quite disappear. This leaves the potential that the plastic would continue entering the food chain. But although biodegradable plastics aren’t perfect, they are still much safer than standard plastic and present a much lower risk. In addition, by making the shift to ban single use plastics, research towards better plastic alternatives will speed up and better solutions will become available. Over time, these new alternatives to plastics may spread to other items that aren’t single use, making an even greater impact on the health of humans and the
Today’s unprecedented technological advancement has accelerated the pace at which everyone is living. Time becomes a limited resource that every person tries to make the most use of. Therefore, convenience is the major quality highly valued in today’s world. Plastics strongly demonstrate such quality; plastics are light-weighted and disposable. Consequently, the use of plastics is prevalent, from simple objects, such as bags and bottles, to more complex components, such as computer boards. The benefits of plastics are countless; for instance, plastics are disposable and waterproof. However, many critics have raised questions regarding the threats posed by phenomenal plastics. What are the downsides of plastics? How should we cope with the plastic pollution around the globe? Susan Beraza has the answers to
Although companies across the globe continue to produce multiple polycarbonate #7 plastic products with BPA, more is being noticed about the adverse health effects to humans can be harmful. Testing on mice has proven that some exposure to BPA can be linked to Cancer and neurological disorders. In countries which have banned the use of BPA in different products, would agree that this chemical is toxic and dangerous. However, as long countries like the United States, who do not currently support banning BPA countrywide due to limited scientific data to back all claims, BPA will continue to be a global issue which continues to be hidden in the dark and a mystery globally
Micro histories have become more popular in recent years because they allow readers to understand the common people’s perspective during that piece of history. The counterculture of the 1960s and 1970s paved the way for micro histories. Both refuted the traditional systems that they came from and allowed for new perspectives to be created. Micro histories try to orient history to focus on the lay people; they refute the traditional system of a textbook that focuses on the key individuals of the time period.
The US Container Recycling Institute estimates that 67 million plastic water bottles are discarded every day, which is enough to wrap around the planet 149 times each year. Therefore, plastic water bottles should be banned from public use. The usage of water bottles should be suppressed because they are incredibly dangerous, wasteful, expensive, and rarely recycled. Researchers have stated that plastic bottles containing water can contain many harmful chemicals. After close examination of the plastic, researchers have concluded that some plastics contain chemicals, such as phthalates, bisphenol A (BPA), endocrine disruptors, and carcinogens, which may leach into the water, especially after being stagnant for long periods of time.
Microbes are everywhere in the biosphere, and their presence invariably affects the environment in which they grow. The effects
Pharmaceutical waste seems to be one of the dominant elements that are prevalent in our waters, and other aspects of the environment. These aforementioned elements are largely becoming a concern in today’s society because its effects have proven to be harmful towards our environment, and all of its existing forms of life. Through various ways, whether controllable or uncontrollable, pharmaceutical waste slowly and increasingly multiplies its presence within the environment. Additionally, it eventually trickles down into our waterways and causes a large array of damages. Some of the most common ways that this waste gets into the water includes: disposal through the drainage systems, farming fertilization methods and the maintenance of treatment plants. These methods are self-explanatory through their brief discussions, but it helps decipher whether the disposal of these dangerous wastes are intentional or not.
Bisphenol A (BPA) is a chemical compound used to create polycarbonate plastic and epoxy resins. Polycarbonate plastics are found in a wide range of products, but food and drink containers are the most concerning. Most people fear that BPA will have negative effect...
It is hypothesized that through laboratory studies, it will be provable that microplastic expansion has gotten worse over the years and is greatly impacting marine life. The results in this study supported the hypothesis of the research because it states: “Several million tonnes of plastics have been produced since the middle of the last century (more than two hundred million tonnes annually)”(Ivar do Sul, Costa, 2013). This has significance when looking at pollution because: “Microplastics are reportedly present on six continents, and higher amounts are commonly related to densely populated areas. In a study of the types (mostly fibers) and materials (frequently polyester and acrylic) of microplastics, suggested that the plastics were produced by sewage effluents, including wastewater from washing machines”(Ivar do Sul, Costa, 2013). These results indicate that pollution is present on six of the seven continents and it comes from largely populated areas.
Microorganisms are a part of every productive soil; there is no soil that is without microorganisms. Without the work of microorganism there would be no soil. While microorganisms work they begin to make the soil more fertile. This makes for a better plant environment. Most microorganisms can photosynthesize, so they do not need to find their own food (Franzmeir).
Renee Cho, a journalist for the State if the Planet, studied what occurs to all the plastic after consumers throw their plastic products out, "It's estimated that there are also hundreds of millions of plastic debris floating around in the oceans threatening the health and safety of marine life." Landfills are increasingly gaining size because of the amount of plastic we use to create out products as it is not biodegradable. Plastic can take more than one thousand years to degrade and can only be recycled through a lengthy expensive process. There also are large islands of plastic waste currently in our oceans, collected together by ocean gyres. Marine wildlife mistake these plastic products as food and ingest them, either killing or injuring themselves. The plastic pollution causes harm and endangers our