Washing Machine Sources of Marine Pollution

Household washing machine turned out to be a major source of pollution mikroplastik, polyester, and acrylic, which is much smaller than the tip of a pin, in the sea. Plastic granules were detected in the coastline around the world. Report scientists from the University Gollege Dublin, Ireland, which describes the potential hazards of the material was published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology.

Mark Browne and his team suggested that the accumulation of micro-plastic debris in the marine environment is harmful to health and safety. Plastic fracture can contain hazardous substances can enter the animal's body and move on to people who eat fish.

Micro plastic ingested can move and settle in a cell for months.

Browne has found a plastic micro contamination along 18 beaches around the world. They also trace the source of contamination was to find out how big a problem that can be caused by contamination and the material from which it originates.

These micro plastic samples were collected from the surface water of the North Pacific Ocean. (Picture from: http://www.sciencebuzz.org/)

They found a plastic micro-more numerous in dense residential areas and succeeded in identifying its source: waste water from household washing machines. Browne said more than 1.900 fibers can be detached from one piece of clothing during the wash once. These fibers appear like a small plastic pieces on the beach.

"We found a polyester fiber, acrylic, polipropilene, polyethylene, and poliamide contaminating beaches on a global scale," said Browne. Along with human population growth and more and more people use synthetic textiles, plastics contamination on the micro-habitats and the animals have also increased.

"Designer clothes and washing machines should be aware of the need to reduce the release of fibers into the waste water," said Browne. "Research is also needed to develop methods of disposal of plastic micro sewer." *** [SCIENCEDAILY | KORAN TEMPO 3688]