Pathogens Can Hitch a Ride on Plastic to Reach the Sea
Microplastics Can Carry Land-Based Parasites to Ocean, Affecting Wildlife and Human Health
Microplastics are a pathway for pathogens on land to reach the ocean, with likely consequences for human and wildlife health, according to a study from the University of California, Davis.
The study, published today in the journal Scientific Reports, is the first to connect microplastics in the ocean with land-based pathogens. It found that microplastics can make it easier for disease-causing pathogens to concentrate in plastic-contaminated areas of the ocean.