By D.W.
Sep 29, 2023, 00:36 AM EDT
Japanese researchers have confirmed for the first time the presence of microplastics in clouds and have been analyzing their influence on the formation of cumulus clouds and their negative impact on the climate, the extent of which is still uncertain.
The study has been carried out by a team led by Professor Hiroshi Okochi of Waseda University, through the analysis of cloud water samples taken at the summits of Mounts Fuji and Oyama, at heights between 1,300 and 3,776 meters. according to details of the investigation published the day before.
Polymers and rubber to the clouds
Using advanced imaging techniques such as attenuated total reflection or certain infrared spectroscopy, the team determined the presence of microplastics in the fluid and identified nine different types of polymers and one type of rubber with sizes ranging between 7.1 and 94.6 micrometers. .
The researchers observed a high presence of hydrophilic polymers (similar to water), possibly a product of the condensation of the cloud itself, which suggests that microplastics would already be playing a key role in the formation of clouds, “which may eventually affect the climate.” in general,” they point out.
“The accumulation of microplastics in the atmosphere, especially in the polar regions, can lead to significant changes in the ecological balance of the planet, causing a serious loss of biodiversity,” the team notes in the announcement of their findings.
Microplastics increase global warming
The degradation of microplastics in the upper atmosphere is much greater than at ground level due to the force of ultraviolet radiation, “and this degradation releases greenhouse gases and contributes to global warming,” according to Okochi.
The findings of the study, he says, can serve to take into account the effects of microplastics in future projections on global warming and seek measures in this regard.
Industry is a source of microplastics
“If the issue of air pollution from plastics is not proactively addressed, climate change and ecological risks may become a reality, causing serious and irreversible environmental damage in the future,” adds Okochi.
Microplastics are plastic particles of less than 5 millimeters, small pieces of this material that are usually found in industrial tributaries and that are formed by the degradation of larger plastic waste, becoming an environmental threat.
These small fragments have also been found inside fish and other animals that are part of the human diet, and can cause both toxic effects and genetic alterations that the scientific community is venturing into investigating.
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