Another negative effect of microplastic pollution has been identified—this time, a climate-related one. Scientists have discovered that colored particles carried by the wind are capable of trapping heat. They absorb sunlight, thereby contributing to rising temperatures.
This was reported by Bloomberg, citing an article in the journal *Nature Climate Change*.
An invisible impact
Experimental studies have found that plastic air pollution accounts for 16.2% of the heat-trapping effect of black carbon. And black carbon is the second-largest contributor to global warming after carbon dioxide.
On a global scale, this impact may seem insignificant. However, in certain regions suffering from widespread pollution, microplastics harm the climate 4.7 times more than black carbon.
From bottle or container – to a microscopic threat
Scientists had previously discovered that micro- and nanoplastic particles “hang” in the air flows of the atmosphere.
Plastic waste gradually breaks down. It first pollutes landscapes and water bodies, then, under physical forces such as sunlight, fragments into particles ranging from a billionth to a millionth of a meter in size.
The impact of microplastics on nature and health is an active area of research. Previously, scientists assumed that their influence on the climate was negligible; however, at that time, the focus was on white plastic, whose particles reflect light.
Meanwhile, there is more colored plastic in the environment, and these particles are capable of retaining heat. The authors of the new study even measured the rate at which various types of particles heat up.
“Atmospheric plastic particles are either already dark, or lighter ones darken with age. The end result is warming,” said Drew Shindell, a climate scientist at Duke University and coauthor of the article.
Measuring the precise effect on warming is challenging, since it requires knowing the exact concentration of microplastics in the global atmosphere and the rate at which they are entering the air.
EcoPolitic previously reported on new levels of microplastic impact. In particular, scientists discovered that microplastics accumulate in the human brain. In people with dementia, the amount of these particles in the body is three to five times higher than in healthy individuals.
