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Microplastic-eating plankton may be worsening crisis in oceans, say scientists
(www.theguardian.com)
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Maybe I missed it, but I don't think they ever elaborated on the distinct dangers of nano plastics when compared to micro plastics. Does it just exacerbate the micro plastic issue, or are there unique issues that will come from nano plastics?
At the very end they say that because nanoplastics are more numerous and more reactive than microplastics it's believed that they'll be more harmful because of that.
From the article:
Some quotes from the linked study "Nanoplastics are potentially more dangerous than microplastics":
I'm confused as well. I thought the idea was that things that ate the plastic would then die and sink to the bottom of the ocean thereby taking it out of the environment.
would mean that they still exist in the environment
kinda feels like what's been happening is the perpetuation of news that ingrains "out of sight out of mind" mentality
btw this isn't a criticism against you and more with some news organizations
Edit: I misunderstood please see comment chain below
I thought the nuance of what I was saying would be recognized by communities like this.
Yes, technically it still exists in the environment. Nothing is ever made to not exist. What I meant was that it would no longer be able to be ingested by any creatures. This is after all where our petroleum deposits came from, millenia of plankton and other creatures dying and being covered up by other matter.
ahh I see
thank you for the clarification as it seems I misunderstood
fair enough, this I can definitely get behind +1