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Discovery raises new questions about the amount of plastic waste permeating the air, water, and soil virtually everywhere on Earth
Plastic was the furthest thing from Gregory Wetherbee’s mind when he began analyzing rainwater samples collected from the Rocky Mountains. “I guess I expected to see mostly soil and mineral particles,” said the US Geological Survey researcher. Instead, he found multicolored microscopic plastic fibers.
The discovery, published in a recent study (pdf) titled “It is raining plastic”, raises new questions about the amount of plastic waste permeating the air, water, and soil virtually everywhere on Earth.
“I think the most important result that we can share with the American public is that there’s more plastic out there than meets the eye,” said Wetherbee. “It’s in the rain, it’s in the snow. It’s a part of our environment now.”
could travel with the wind for hundreds, if not thousands, of kilometers. Other studies have turned up microplastics in the deepest reaches of the ocean, in UK lakes and rivers and in US groundwater.
originally posted by: Gothmog
Ah , the extent a USGS newb will go through to get their name published .
No , not by the USGS itself , but by The Guardian
originally posted by: Blue Shift
originally posted by: olaru12
I don't know exactly what was revealed in the beam but it was full of particles.
Water droplets? Pollen?
Oh, and BTW, that's why our respiratory system is lined with sticky hairs. It's a dusty world. We evolved to deal with it.
originally posted by: surfer_soul
a reply to: Gothmog
There’s plenty of links to various studies and pdfs in the guardian link from the op
could travel with the wind for hundreds, if not thousands, of kilometers. Other studies have turned up microplastics in the deepest reaches of the ocean, in UK lakes and rivers and in US groundwater.
It’s probably in a drinking water too, I suggest using a filter just in case.
originally posted by: Gothmog
Ah , the extent a USGS newb will go through to get their name published .
No , not by the USGS itself , but by The Guardian
Ferreira is able to extract the microplastic pollution from water using ferrofluid. This is a liquid composed of oil and magnetite. This enables the liquid to stick to plastics and makes it capable to be removed using magnets.