Indian River Lagoon (FL) Water, Crabs & Oysters Full Of Microplastics
The crabs and oysters we eat from the Indian River Lagoon harbor tiny bits of plastic, with unknown health risks to us and to them, new research suggests.
University of Central Florida researchers say our old fraying boat ropes, fishing equipment, fibers from synthetic clothes and other broken-down plastic bits are the source. The so-called microplastics can harm oysters, crabs and other marine life, but long-term health and ecological effects remain uncertain.
"In general, microplastic fibers dominated in oyster and crab tissue," Heidi R. Waite, wrote in a recent paper she submitted as part of her honors thesis at University of Central Florida.
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Water samples averaged 15 to 33 microplastic pieces per liter, more than three times what research in the northeastern Pacific Ocean and coastal British Columbia has found. Crabs in Mosquito Lagoon averaged 23 microplastic pieces per crab, and oysters averaged 16 to 17 microplastic pieces. "Although I expected to find microplastics in the organic tissues of the oysters, I was astounded by the quantity I found," Waite said via email. "Compared to previous studies, this study revealed extremely high amount of microplastics in the organic tissues."
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http://www.floridatoday.com/story/news/local/environment/2017/05/26/microplastics-plague-lagoon/349106001/
