Science Plastic trapped in Arctic sea could flood world's oceans as climate warms

Hello ATS. I find this article interesting even though it's from Yahoo. In this article, it talks about how researchers in Germany are saying that a great amount of trash from the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. According to the article, researchers in Germany from the Alfred Wegener Institute are saying that there's 12,000 microplastic particles per litre of ice.

Arctic sea ice contains a huge amount of microplastics which will be released into the world’s oceans with global warming, researchers has warned.

The Alfred Wegener Institute in Germany surveyed five regions in the Arctic Ocean and found there was 12,000 microplastic particles per litre of ice.

Analysis of ocean currents showed much of the debris had flowed from the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, the largest accumulation of ocean plastic in the world, which is situated between California and Hawaii.

Commenting on the study, British experts said it showed that the garbage patch, was ‘literally the tip of the iceberg.’

Researchers warned that not only is the microplastic dangerous for arctic wildlife, who eat it, but global warming could allow huge amounts to be released back into the world’s oceans.

“During our work, we realised that more than half of the microplastic particles trapped in the ice were less than a twentieth of a millimetre wide, which means they could easily be ingested by arctic microorganisms,” said biologist and first author Dr Ilka Peeken.

“No one can say for certain how harmful these tiny plastic particles are for marine life, or ultimately also for human beings.”

The major worry by the researchers is that as the globe warms, these plastic(s) will become dangerous to Arctic wildlife as food and once released into the oceans as food for micro-organisms. I knew about the problem with fish eating the plastic which floats around in the ocean(s) but I hadn't figured there would be plastic frozen in the ice but I guess it makes sense....another thing to worry about..! What says ATS?

www.yahoo.com...

There is a lot of methyl mercury trapped in the glaciers too.

originally posted by: rickymouse
There is a lot of methyl mercury trapped in the glaciers too.

Is it more bad stuff?

could not

a reply to: lostbook

“No one can say for certain how harmful these tiny plastic particles are for marine life, or ultimately also for human beings.”

In other news Canada and Britain want to ban straws .

originally posted by: the2ofusr1
a reply to: lostbook

“No one can say for certain how harmful these tiny plastic particles are for marine life, or ultimately also for human beings.”

In other news Canada and Britain want to ban straws .

Or maybe create bio-degradable straws. Maybe straws made from bamboo...?

a reply to: lostbook

Melt all the plastic into large sheets that are about 4' thick that can stack on top of each other or beside each other and build artificial islands.
That should create a market from trash plastic.
Using technologies like this
Being that these artificial islands come from trash, better practices should be considered with managing and sustaining them.
So the plastic should be tested and tried for best environmentally safe.
They should have areas if in endangered species areas for animals to find habitat visualize North pole with iceberg artificial attachments for example.
End result is 90% global plastic trash collected, recycled and planet made greener for human and coexisting inhabitants.

NAMASTE*******

a reply to: lostbook

Exactly, but assuming the cost would be too high for businesses, etc., to afford using them on a mass scale. Sad how that is.

a reply to: dreamingawake

Sometimes it seems there should be a planet sustainability priority fund, that has no business relationship except the business that may choose to contribute-donate not invest into it.
So it would be no business money made but the projects it could fund would all be based on sustaining the habitat or making it better. Anyone could donate to it.
End result funding established for large non profit projects from planetary to even space.

originally posted by: the2ofusr1
a reply to: lostbook

“No one can say for certain how harmful these tiny plastic particles are for marine life, or ultimately also for human beings.”

In other news Canada and Britain want to ban straws .

Cosmetics and other personal products are a big source of the plastic that is causing problems This is talking about plastic particles. A lot of plastic dust is also produced by industries and clouds of it is floating in the airs in some places from factory dusts from ventilation fans.

Plastic is everywhere, it's in the air and in human and animal bodies, breaking down, leaving BPAs, possibly even accumulating in fat cells. This is correlated to cause weight gain to cancer.

Some sources to look into:

"Household dust makes people fat, groundbreaking research indicates "
EDCs
Source

BPA

Researchers believe BPA does so by mimicking estrogen hormones, but its metabolite doesn’t appear to do so. In figuring out why metabolized BPA appears to spur fat cells, Zoeller said, it’s possible that BPA-Glucuronide is “hitting certain receptors in cells”.

Source

Microplastics in Animals

Uptake and Effects of Microplastics on Cells and Tissue of the Blue Mussel Mytilus edulis L. after an Experimental Exposure

Source

I'm more concerned about all the Hydric Acid those glaciers contain. If all of it is released then it could be a disaster for our oceans currents.

a reply to: Ophiuchus 13
That would be great, of course, as would more companies getting on board with alternatives-as mentioned if affordable-and more. I'm guessing the petroleum lobby isn't going to let an alternative gain traction.

originally posted by: GBP/JPY
could not

Ahhh yes, behold the best argument yet.....and it only needed two words.

So let me ask you do you know how to make plastic or what certain plastics become after being exposed to salt water?

I’ll give ya a hint, it’s not good.
I hope you look this up and realize how bad certain plastics are for the earth. I myself never use disposables and bring my own bag to the store. And ya I know I look goofy but I see more and more people doing things like this which is a good start. I could give two craps about humans but the planet I do care about.

a reply to: lostbook

Hemp plastic maybe .

Global Warming.....SMH...Yahoo is for Yahoos!
a reply to: lostbook

Am I the only one that thinks there is a logical error here? Several questions came up when I saw this:

Arctic sea ice contains a huge amount of microplastics which will be released into the world’s oceans with global warming, researchers has warned. The Alfred Wegener Institute in Germany surveyed five regions in the Arctic Ocean and found there was 12,000 microplastic particles per litre of ice.

If the plastic will become a problem when it unfreezes...

-If global warming is accelerating on a steady pace like they want us to believe to, how did that plastic trash got frozen in?

-Why wasn´t it a problem when it got there? It was unfrozen to begin with.

Don´t get me wrong, pollution has to be stopped but this article isn´t objective, it pushes an agenda. That´s exactly what I ment with my thread a couple days ago.

Maybe they should have explained to the reader that the ice is responsible for grinding/shredding the plastic down?

originally posted by: rickymouse
There is a lot of methyl mercury trapped in the glaciers too.

Could that explain the increase in Alzheimers and dementia. A slow build up of toxic metals in the brain over the decades?

a reply to: stormcell

Could be but consider this:

The life expectation of our ancestors was low to beginn with. In some places you were lucky if you got 35 years old. That´s why back then often teenagers would marry and get kids because they were like 30 years old compared to todays life expectation.

With older people you often hear "he´s mental fit but his body isn´t anymore". That´s perfectly normal for most, but when it comes the other way it scares people.

I had my own share of experience with dementia in my family and If I believe the doctors, I´m in the risk group, too.

When my day comes, I´d rather want my body to just shut down instead of my brain erroding away. Back then, chances were that your body did that before your grey matter weared out, where much higher.

originally posted by: stormcell

originally posted by: rickymouse
There is a lot of methyl mercury trapped in the glaciers too.

Could that explain the increase in Alzheimers and dementia. A slow build up of toxic metals in the brain over the decades?

Alzheimer comes from an imbalance of dopamine to acetylcholine. Too little acetylcholine to to high dopamine can cause alzheimer disease. Dopamine is created from tyramines. Acetylcholine is created from choline and an acetyl group...or vinegar. Glutamates are necessary in our body, both bound and free, but too much can cause problems.

If dopamine levels are high and acetylcholine levels are constantly elevated it can lead to parkinson from what I read. Pesticides can permanently inhibit acetylcholinesterase which breaks down acetylcholine so levels do not go to high. Moderate and temporary inhibiting of acetylcholinesterase can protect us from permanent inhibition. Acetylcholine needs to cycle in our bodies, not always be high.

Methylmercury does have some effect on diseases of the brain, so does aluminum. They are extreme neuroexcitants. They can both increase autoimmune issues if a person cannot create enough enzyme to detox them. Certain chemistries do help to rid the body of these because they stimulate detox pathways. They have medicines that work effectively to detox these but they do not repair the damage created by mercury and aluminum and it takes quite a while to detox them from the body, too fast can be bad. The main source of aluminum in the body is in baking powder and alum and other aluminum based chemistry in pickles and in quick melting cheeses. Don't use an aluminum frying pan to cook acid foods either, that is bad. Acid foods can also increase iron content of food cooked in cast iron pans.

Copper is also implicated in alzheimer disease. Certain enzymes are needed for copper to work correctly but too much copper is not good. Copper enzymes disolve antigens and sometimes memories, but those copper enzymes are different in the brain from what I have read, they work differently for some reason.

Methyl mercury usually causes a reduction in brain mass but that is different than what alzheimer is. Dementia can come from methyl mercury poisoning though, so can nerve damage.

That is how I understand it from reading a lot of articles on the subject, my wife's two aunts both got alzheimer so I am studying ways to lower my wife's risk.

Genetics also plays a role in dopamine breakdown, some people have limited enzymes to break down dopamine and other tyramine chemistry. These people need less Ummami to feel good, too much dopes them up. Also lack of the MAO enzymes can lead to migraines if too much of this chemistry is consumed. It is a warning that these people need to alter their diet, we all need to eat differently. A person who is anxious is given meds to inhibit MAO sometimes which raises dopamine levels.