Microplastics in the heart, in the human brain, in the liver, or in the kidneys… International scientific reporting on the subject is steadily increasing—almost as rapidly as the microscopic plastic particles accumulating in our bodies. And the outlook is not optimistic. The human body is contaminated by microplastics in various ways. They have been found in blood, semen, breast milk, the placenta, and bone marrow, with their effects on human health still largely unknown…
A recent study by the University of Portland in Oregon found that microplastics were present in 99% of seafood samples tested—including 180 out of 182 samples purchased from stores or collected from fishing boats in the region. The findings reinforce concerns about ocean pollution and the infiltration of microplastics into the food chain.
But what is happening in Greek seas? In recent years, scientists studying the phenomenon in our country have identified microplastics both in the marine environment and in fish intended for consumption. How extensive is the problem, and what does the data from Greek scientific research show so far?
According to studies carried out by the Hellenic Center for Marine Research (HCMR) over the last ten years in areas of the Aegean and Ionian Seas, microplastics not only exist but have been consumed by all species of fish and seafood that have been analyzed.
” We have studied various types of edible fish, such as sardines, halibut, cod and seafood such as mussels and shrimp from various regions. We found microplastics in all species. On average, we found two to three microplastics in each fish, with the exception of mussels, in which a larger amount is found, ” explains biologist and postdoctoral researcher at the Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, Nicoletta Digga, to Vima.
The problem, she says, is equally acute in aquaculture products, where it is very easy to generate microplastics from the materials used by farmers. “The buoys, Styrofoam cages and nets used in the farms decompose and break down into microscopic particles, which end up in the fish and the environment.”
Similar findings come from the Marine Protection Institute “Archipelagos”, which has been researching plastic pollution in Greek seas since 2009. According to the Institute’s hydrobiologist and Research Director, Anastasia Miliou, the results are extremely worrying.
“After analyzing approximately 30,000 samples, we found that the fragments and fibers of plastic waste exposed to the environment have already penetrated all levels of the ecosystems and food chain of our seas. In fact, the extent of microplastic pollution was the same in remote areas, such as some small uninhabited islands in the Aegean, as well as on the coasts of Attica,” she says.
The scientific community studying marine ecosystems has recently turned its attention to the role of nanoplastics—smaller particles capable of traveling through the tissues of fish that humans consume.
“They are more dangerous than microplastics. This is because they do not remain in the gills and stomach of fish, which are removed before we eat them, but they also pass into other tissues. Very recently, methodologies have begun to be developed for the smallest microplastics and in the near future there will be precise scientific data on the effect they have on the human body, ” adds Nafsika Papageorgiou, assistant professor at the Department of Rural Development, Agri-Food and Natural Resources Management of the University of Athens.
Extensive research is also being conducted on the chemical pollutants and toxic substances that attach to microplastics. Scientists believe these substances may be released into the bodies that consume them, potentially causing toxicity and other harmful health effects.
“It is being examined whether microplastics act as Trojan horses not only for toxic substances such as heavy metals but also for some pathogenic bacteria. The microplastics themselves in the sea alter the bacterial community that grows on their surface. If such a microplastic is consumed by a mussel, there is a chance that it will retain it and transfer it to the human who will eat it. In other words, we may consume a pathogenic bacterium that we would not encounter so easily.”
She has participated in many studies as a doctoral researcher at the Marine Ecology Laboratory of the University of Crete in recent years. Microplastics, she says, are everywhere—and their presence is expected to increase exponentially in the coming years.
“We have detected a lot of microplastics in mussels, oysters and recently in fish. In fish found in areas affected by the storm ‘Daniel’, a large amount of microplastics was detected, significantly higher compared to those in other areas.”
Scientists emphasize that while the findings are concerning, this does not mean consumers should stop eating fish. “For now, it is safe to eat fish. However, in the next 10 to 20 years it may not be. We need information, not intimidation,” clarifies Danae Patsiou, a biologist specializing in Ecotoxicology and postdoctoral researcher at the Hellenic Centre for Marine Research.
According to her, real change must come from companies, which should reduce or eliminate the use of plastic in product packaging. At the same time, the state must implement stricter measures to manage waste and prevent plastic pollution.
“To address the problem, there needs to be a coordinated movement from the top. We won’t change the world if we use a cloth bag instead of a plastic bag, but we will put in a very small stone.”
Anastasia Miliou, who has dedicated her life to researching the marine ecosystem, shares the same view. As she says, our country is decades behind in terms of recycling, while citizens also lack proper information. ” Microplastics did not come from the sky, they come from the plastics we consume. We have found high concentrations of plastic fibers in dolphins, turtles and other marine mammals. We have not yet realized how heavy a legacy we are leaving to future generations.”
Source: Tovima.com
VIA: https://www.ot.gr
