Scientists from the China Institute of Oceanography have found a type of marine fungus that decomposes polyethylene and other types of plastic in 2-16 weeks. It will help clean coastal areas from toxic waste without harming the environment. The effectiveness of the fungus reaches 95%, according to the Xinhua news agency.
Researchers have applied for a national patent for their way of recycling plastic using fungus.
More than eight million tons of plastic waste end up in the ocean every year. They turn into microplastics, enter the global food chain and threaten ecosystems and human health.
Microplastics have been found in human blood for the first time.
Microplastic particles have been found in human blood for the first time. This means that they can move around the body and settle in the organs. How this affects people's health is still unknown, writes The Guardian.
Foreign particles were found in the biomaterial of 80% of the people tested - in 17 out of 22.
Half of the samples contain PET plastic, which is commonly used to make beverage bottles. One-third is polystyrene, which is used to make food packaging. A quarter of the samples contained polyethylene, which is used to make bags.
Scientists continue to study to find out if microplastics linger in the body and whether they can cause any diseases.
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