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Marine Organisms Shred Plastic Bags into Millions of Pieces
A single plastic carrier bag could be shredded by marine organisms into around 1.75 million microscopic fragments, according to new research.
Marine scientists at the University of Plymouth examined the rate at which bags were broken down by the amphipod Orchestia gammarellus, which inhabits coastal areas in northern and western Europe.
They believe the results are an example of marine wildlife actually contributing to the spread of microplastics within the marine environment, rather than them simply being emitted from the water supply or forming through the physical and chemical break down of larger items.
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