A shocking discovery. Microplastics from the air entered the lungs of these animals

The research, the results of which were published in the journal “Plos One”, was conducted in two locations: in Sarasota Bay in Florida and in Barataria Bay in Louisiana. The first one is urbanized, the second one is located in a typically rural area. In both cases, scientists found microplastics in the breath of all 11 dolphins tested.

These results confirm the thesis about the ubiquitous pollution of air and water ecosystems by microplastics. Of particular concern is the fact that these particles have also been found in remote and pristine locations such as Mount Everest, suggesting that their spread through air is a global phenomenon.

What is microplastic?

Microplastics are plastic particles smaller than 5 mm in size, which come mainly from the breakdown of larger plastic waste, but also from everyday products such as cosmetics and synthetic clothes. Microplastics can enter the environment in various ways, for example when washing polyester clothes.

Polyester, a popular synthetic material, was one of the main types of microplastics detected in dolphin breath. Hot washing cycles release billions of microscopic fibers, which can then end up in the atmosphere and water.

Health hazards to dolphins

Scientists point out the potentially dangerous impact of microplastics on the health of marine mammals, especially since dolphins have a much larger lung capacity than humans. This means they can inhale larger amounts of pollutants when they breathe.

Leslie Hart, a researcher at the College of Charleston, said: “We are only just beginning to understand how dolphins are exposed to microplastics.” While the impact of microplastics on human health is becoming better understood, it is associated with, among others, with pneumonia or breathing problems – in the case of wild animals, there is still no research on this topic.

Dolphins in Barataria Bay, Louisiana, one of the locations studied, are additionally exposed to other factors that are harmful to their health. In 2010, as a result of the ecological disaster related to the oil spill from the Deepwater Horizon platform, their lungs were already damaged.

Microplastics may further worsen the health of these animals. Scientists fear that inhaling plastic particles may lead to chronic lung inflammation, which could endanger entire dolphin populations in the long term.

An innovative method of dolphin research

The research team used the method of catching and releasing dolphins, which made it possible to collect samples of exhaled air from their nostrils (so-called blowholes). Samples were collected using Petri dishes, which were placed over the animals’ vents as they emerged to the water surface.

To avoid contaminating the samples, the researchers also conducted air monitoring near the dolphins. While the method was innovative, the sample of dolphins itself was relatively small and not necessarily representative of the entire population of dolphins, meaning further research is needed.

The global microplastic problem

The problem of microplastic pollution does not only concern dolphins. Microplastics are found in the air, water and soil around the world. Inhalation of plastic particles by humans is becoming more and more common, with some research suggesting that microplastics may even be entering the human bloodstream and brain.

This phenomenon carries serious health risks, the effects of which are still being investigated. However, for both humans and wildlife, one of the most important routes of exposure is through ingestion and inhalation of these particles.