Plastic pollution, and microplastics in particular, are a major concern affecting the ocean, and a new study identified a potentially underestimated source of this form of marine contamination.

What’s happening?

While microplastics have likely been present in the environment and accumulating for decades, they weren’t formally identified until 2004.

After a British marine biologist coined the term, research into the prevalence and risks associated with microplastics began.

A study published in the October edition of the peer-reviewed Journal of Hazardous Materials highlighted a potentially large source of marine microplastics.

Commercial vessels, particularly fishing boats, are known sources of ocean plastic, losing up to a million tons of plastic gear at sea every year. For this study, researchers looked beyond what vessels intentionally put into the ocean, examining a potentially overlooked external factor.

“Ship paint-derived microplastics” were their focus. As the authors observed, marine coatings designed to withstand the sea’s salinity are “widely applied to offshore structures” like boats.

“Several studies have identified paint as a notable contributor to microplastics (MPs) in the marine environment,” wrote the researchers, a combined team from the Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology’s Ecological Risk Research Department and the University of Science and Technology of Daejeon.

Using infrared light analysis, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), and by assessing density, they identified potential analysis gaps.

The authors cited research published in 2021 that estimated that marine paint introduces a combined total of 11,270 metric tons of microplastics into the oceans each year.

Why is this study important?

“Despite their environmental significance, ship paint-derived microplastics remain relatively under-investigated compared to other plastic pollutants, which has likely led to an underestimation of their environmental impact,” the authors wrote.

Microplastics themselves evaded scientific scrutiny for decades, underscoring how insidious this form of pollution is.

Research has identified microplastics in virtually every corner of the planet; they’re in all forms of water, the soil, the food we eat, and they even contaminate the air we breathe.

More in Science

Study after study has shown that microplastics are a catastrophe for the environment, and even more so for wildlife and human health.

Plastic waste and microplastic exposure can be fatal to animals, and studies have identified several potentially alarming health risks to people, too.

Exposure to microplastics has been linked to vascular damage, cognitive issues, and the development of some cancers.

What’s being done about it?

The study’s authors concluded that additional research into ship paint-derived microplastics is sorely needed, given the scale of the problem.

Although microplastics are indeed pervasive, there are effective ways for the average person to reduce their direct exposure.

Simple changes, such as using less plastic and replacing frequently used plastic items with plastic-free alternatives, are effective, while participating in local actions like river or beach cleanups helps prevent plastic waste from becoming microplastics.

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