麻豆淫院

Plastic may well be a useful everyday item, but its careless disposal in oceans and inland waterways is a pressing global problem. Plastic pollution poses a significant threat to human health and the health of our planet. For the first time, scientists have conducted a rigorous study of the Amazon Basin and found that plastic pollution is widespread across its ecosystems, contaminating water, plants and much of the wildlife.

Previous research suggested that the Amazon is a major source of oceanic plastic; however, a full-scale assessment of the basin hadn't been conducted until now. In a study in the journal Ambio, researchers examined 52 peer-reviewed scientific papers on plastic found in the Amazon since 2000, particularly in fauna, fish, sediment and water. More than 90% of the research was concentrated in Brazil along the main Amazon River channel, and the most frequently reported microplastic fragment size was less than five millimeters. None of the studies mentioned nanoplastics, which are potentially the most dangerous.

The state of the Amazon

The findings make for troubling reading. Plastic contamination is not limited to a few spots; it's widespread across the basin. The review found plastic fragments and litter in the water, river sediments, and among plants and wildlife, including birds, fish and mammals.

The most alarming discovery was the threat to human health. Researchers found that two-thirds (66%) of the studied animals (mostly fish) that contain plastic are regular food sources for local communities. This high level of contamination puts many people at risk of ingesting plastic fragments, especially microfragments.

While there is no conclusive evidence yet of direct harm to humans from the presence of microplastics in high numbers, it is a concern. Additionally, drinking water is another significant source of exposure, as many communities draw their water from contaminated rivers with little to no treatment.

A call for action

The comprehensive nature of this review leaves no doubt about the need for action, as the researchers state in their paper. "The evidence presented in this review is more than sufficient to justify immediate policy implementation throughout the Amazon to reduce plastic reaching the natural environment."

Based on their findings, the team is calling for an expanded research effort, particularly to fill knowledge gaps about parts of the Amazon and its tributaries that haven't been studied. Investigations should also focus on the health impacts of nanoplastics and plastic contamination in muscle tissue and drinking water to determine the full risk to humans.

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