Quote:
Originally Posted by Dave22q
Infantile emotions are never a substitute for rational analysis. Has anyone force fed rats large amounts of microplastics to see what happens? Unlike unsupportable global warming model based theories, empirical evidence on the dangers of microplastics should be easily obtained. That is how we determined lead based paint can poison kids.
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YES.
Animals that ingest larger plastic particles are adversely affected. A good example is the dying whale found last year with 30 plastic bags in its stomach in Western
Norway. Plastic debris blocked its intestines so the whale was no longer able to digest
food. <
https://phys.org/news/2017-02-norway...-stranded.html >
Lab experiments show that microplastics can also be harmful to
animals like copepods, which are small crustaceans. When they fill up their stomachs with microplastics they are less able to take in other nutrients, slowing down their growth and development.
Experiments with copepods, oysters, scampi and crabs show that
marine animals consume less food when they ingest microplastics. This reduces their energy levels, which in turn can lead to a lower immune response, less growth and fewer offspring.
Chemicals leached from plastics can cause hormonal disturbances that result in fewer offspring, abnormal development and disease.
Microplastics, including microfibers, could cause large-scale harm by introducing toxins found in waterways (including the legacy industrial contaminants PCB and DDT) into the food chain
For instance:
This study found that worms feeding in highly contaminated ocean sediment ate less and had lower energy levels.
“Microplastic ingestion decreases energy reserves in
marine worms” ~ Stephanie L. Wright et al.
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https://www.cell.com/current-biology...822(13)01343-2
This study established, for the first time, that ingesting microplastics can transfer pollutants and additives to worms, reducing
health and biodiversity.
“Microplastic Moves Pollutants and Additives to Worms, Reducing Functions Linked to
Health and Biodiversity” ~ Mark Anthony Browne et al.
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https://www.cell.com/current-biology...822(13)01253-0
These researchers found that microfibers harmed Ceriodaphnia dubia, a freshwater crustacean, more than microbeads did. Complete mortality occurred at lower concentrations of microfibers than of microbeads; at sublethal concentrations, the crustaceans showed more severe stunted growth and reduced reproduction when exposed to fiber than when exposed to beads. The researchers hypothesized that the beads harmed the organisms by filling their guts without providing nutrition, while the fibers entangled, exhausted, immobilized and deformed them.
“Impact of Microplastic Beads and Fibers on Waterflea (Ceriodaphnia dubia) Survival, Growth, and Reproduction: Implications of
Single and Mixture Exposures” ~ Shima Ziajahromi et al.
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https://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/acs.est.7b03574
“Respiratorydiseasecausedbysyntheticfibres:anewocc upationaldisease1J.CORTEZPIMENTEL,
“Mounting microplastic pollution harms 'earthworms of the sea' – report”
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https://www.theguardian.com/environm...rms-sea-oceans
We Know Plastic Is Harming Marine Life. What About Us?
“... Experiments show that microplastics damage aquatic creatures, as well as turtles and birds: They block digestive tracts, diminish the urge to eat, and alter feeding behavior, all of which reduce growth and reproductive output. Their stomachs stuffed with plastic, some species starve and die ...”
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https://www.nationalgeographic.com/m...microplastics/
“Odours from marine plastic debris induce food search behaviours in a forage fish.” ~ Savoca MS et al.”... Many species of marine fish (more than 50) ingest plastic debris. Ingested plastic has a variety of lethal and sublethal impacts and can be a
route for bioaccumulation of toxic compounds throughout the food web ...”
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https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28814656 https://www.nationalgeographic.com/m...microplastics/
“... Though there's little known about the effect on plants or on the wider food chain, studies have shown that earthworms exposed to microplastics in soil have increased gut inflammation, slower growth and higher mortality ...”
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https://www.cnn.com/2018/04/22/healt...ntl/index.html
“... there are two main effects that have been observed in sea life: structural toxicity, when plastic literally blocks the gills or the stomach of a fish, convincing the animal that it's full and causing it to starve to death; and exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals that can have other effects on the body ...”
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Gotta run. Raptors/Warriors coming on. Go Raptors!
We the north