From kelpvoyaging to Antarcticato monkeysrafting across the seas , Planet Earth is no stranger to know thing journeying across its ocean . But it seems there are some more minatory mariner out there ; according to new research , harmful bacteria are hitchhiking on tiny bits of charge card , potentially contributing to the spread head of disease .
A squad of scientists from the University of Stirling investigated whether harmful pathogens could run on sea plastics . In special , they examined nurdles ( aka mermaid ’s tears ) , petite balls of charge plate that dish out as the basis for manufacturing plastic products . Billions of these 5 - millimetre credit card pieces populate our oceans as a event of industrial spillage , and can beharmful to maritime life . Their findings are report in theMarine Pollution Bulletin .
The researchers examined nurdles on five Scottish beaches and discovered that 45 percent were pollute withE. coli , while 90 percent carriedVibrio , a nasty type of bacteria that cause nutrient poisoning and gastroenteritis . The presence ofE. coliis often a sign of sewage pollution – a very undesirable summation to beach where people bathe .
“ bright colored nurdles are a magnet for children – and you would n’t want children putting these in their mouths , ” principal investigator Dr Richard Quilliam toldThe Guardian .
While it ’s still early days for the new enquiry , this is n’t the first time that nurdles have been linked to thumb pathogen . A2016 studyfound evidence ofVibriobacteria on microplastics floating in the North and Baltic Seas , meanwhile , disease - carrying plastics have also beenspotted in riversin the US .
“ The danger is that pathogens could be transported over large distances and survive for much longer than normal , ” Quilliam explained to The Guardian , bring that cholera could make its way from India to the US , for deterrent example .
“ When a pathogen is bound to a piece of credit card it ’s give out to be protect , as it can hide out from things that normally shoot down it , like UV light . ”
The team also note in their study that with the prolongation climate change , the problem is only potential to get unfit , particularly as warming waters “ could increase the geographical range of new and emerging disease into coastal and maritime environments . ” What ’s more , an increase in extreme weather could moderate to a rising in nautical plastics being ditch on country .
The researchers hope that their findings will encourage authorities to put through appropriate beach regulations in arena where members of the public might come into contact with disease - contaminated charge card debris .
