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https://theconversation.com/glitters-sparkle-hides-a-darker-side-it-can-change-the-chemistry-of-our-oceans-255155>
"Glitter is festive and fun – a favourite for decorations, makeup and art
projects. But while it may look harmless, beautiful even, glitter’s sparkle
hides a darker side. Those shimmering specks often end up far from party tables
and greeting cards. You can even spot them glinting on beaches, washed in with
the tide.
In our recent research, we discovered that glitter – specifically, the kind
made from a common plastic polymer called polyethylene terephthalate (PET) – is
not merely polluting the ocean. It could actively interfere with marine life as
it forms shells and skeletons, which is a much bigger deal than it might sound.
Put simply: glitter helps the formation of crystals that nature did not plan
for. And those crystals can break the glitter into even smaller pieces, making
the pollution problem worse and more long-lasting.
We tend to think of microplastics as tiny beads from face scrubs or fibres from
clothes, but glitter is in its own special category. It is often made of
layered plastic film with metal coatings – the same stuff found in craft
supplies, cosmetics, party decorations and clothing. It is shiny, colourful and
durable – and extremely tiny. That makes it hard to clean up and easy for
marine animals to eat, because it looks tasty.
New research reveals that PET-based glitter microplastics in the sea can
actively influence a process known as biomineralisation.
However, our research paper in the journal
Environmental Sciences Europe
suggests that what really sets glitter apart from other microplastics is the
way it behaves once it enters the ocean. It actively interacts with its
surroundings; it’s not drifting passively.
In our lab, we recreated seawater conditions and added glitter to the mix to
explore whether glitter would affect how minerals – like the ones marine
animals use to make their shells – form. What we saw was surprisingly fast and
incredibly consistent: the glitter was kickstarting the formation of minerals
such as calcite, aragonite and other types of calcium carbonates in a process
known as “biomineralisation”.
These minerals are the building blocks that many marine creatures – including
corals, sea urchins and molluscs – use to make their hard parts. If glitter is
messing with that process, we could be looking at a serious threat to ocean
life."
Via Susan ****
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics