Primary microplastics are microplastics found in cosmetics, fishing nets, and clothing. These usually refer to microbeads, tiny plastic beads used to polish and remove certain impurities from the skin

Ocean Microplastics

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Ocean Microplastics were discovered and named by professor Richard C. Thompson. Professor Thompson's team showed that Microplastic pollution had started since the 1960s and are present in oceans worldwide.

Currently, citizens and plastic companies are taking moves in stopping microplastic pollution, like using filter to keep microplastics out of drinking and washing water, reduce, reuse, recycling etc.

In worse case scenarios, scientists are estimating a lot of negative effects of microplastic pollution, including a&nbsp;15% decrease in population growth and much more. Still, there are things we can do both as individual and as a community to reduce microplastic pollution. 

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Below is a diagram of the different effects of microplastic pollution.

Most microplastics come from plastic degradation. Shellfish and zooplankton, will first consume the microplastics. Then the fish will consume the zooplankton and microplastics, and the humans consume the fish and shellfish. This way, the microplastics effect the whole ocean ecosystem.

How can we identify microplastics in the water?

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- Two bowls - One filter - Colored water with microplastics

I think that microplastics float on the water.

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https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/microplastics/ https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/microplastics.html#:~:text=Microplastic https://www.britannica.com/technology/microplastic https://www.plastichealthcoalition.org/microplastics/# https://cosmeticseurope.eu/how-we-take-action/leading-voluntary-actions/all-about-plastic-microbeads/ https://www.nationalgeographic.co.uk/environment-and-conservation/2022/04/microplastics-are-in-our-bodies-how-much-do-they-harm-us https://journals.openedition.org/factsreports/5290 https://link.springer.com https://www.nrdc.org/issues/stop-plastic-pollution https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34653869/ https://www.emcoplastics.com/resin-pellets/#:~

Filter water from second bowl back to first bowl

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Filter water from first bowl to second bowl

To start with, we can lessen plastic pollution. This means sorting our waste, buying less single-use plastics like plastic bags, reducing, reusing and recycling. If each household can maintain healthy habits, microplastic pollution will reduce quickly. 

Another way to lessen microplastic pollution is to buy plastic free cosmetics. Cosmetic/health products are a great factor for microplastic pollution, as they produce microbeads. 

We can help educate the citizens. People have to realize that the ocean is not a dumpster, but an independent ecosystem with its own needs. It is also important to educate citizens about microplastics, as actions taken can reduce this issue significantly.

Did You Know? Microplastics can also come from tires and Synthetic Textiles.

Microplastics come from a variety of sources. There are two types of microplastics: primary and secondary microplastics. 	Primary microplastics are microplastics found in cosmetics, fishing nets, and clothing. These usually refer to microbeads, tiny plastic beads used to polish and remove certain impurities from the skin. Primary microplastics also come as resin pellets, industrial raw material needed during the manufacturing process of bottles and other plastic products through molding. 	Meanwhile, secondary microplastics are when larger plastics such as plastic bags, plastic bottles and other products are broken down under weathering.

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Even though microplastics are tiny, they can deal a tremendous amount of damage. By taking moves in stopping microplastic pollution, which is 92% of ocean plastic pollution, we can not only prevent our health from being influenced by sea creatures and seafood diet, but also protect the ocean ecosystem from further damage.

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Though microplastics are tiny, they can deal a tremendous damage on the ecosystem.

Humans accidentally eating microplastics could mean oxidative stress, DNA damage and inflammation, etc. Chronic inflammation can lead to serious health problems. Yet, Belgian scientists announced that seafood lovers could consume&nbsp;up to 11,000 plastic particles a year&nbsp;by eating mussels, a favorite sea clam in the country. 

	Fish and sea birds will eat microplastic pieces floating on the ocean, as the pieces look similar to food. Eating microplastics can cause sea creatures to eat less food and therefore have less energy to consume food and carry out normal functions like reproducing.&nbsp;

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The top three countries with the most microplastic and plastic waste produced annually are The Philippines, India, and Malaysia, with a stunning 356,371 metric tons per year for the Philippines.

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Studies shows that the average person eats, drinks and breathes in 78,000 to 211,000 microplastic particles each year - and that is considered an underestimate.

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In total, it is estimated that between 3 and 23 billion (with an average of 13 billion) of these microplastic particles are being released into US waterways every day.

The microplastics were completely filtered out of the water. Microplastics can either float or sink depending on its weight. For example, mircoplastics from plastic bottles floated and textiles like polyester sinked.