“Plastic rain” is a serious threat to the inhabitants of the planet!
The results of a study show that the accumulation of microplastics in the troposphere layer of the earth can lead to rains contaminated with plastic.
According to the social reporter of Moj news agency, the existence of plastic in the oceans and land has long been a concern of environmentalists. Now, a study conducted by Japan’s Waseda University shows that the problem extends far beyond land and deep water.
According to the study, microplastics, which are small plastic particles less than 5 millimeters in size, may now have become an integral part of clouds, which scientists refer to as plastic rain.
Microplastics are released from the degradation of larger plastic waste or from industrial effluents. These tiny particles enter human and animal bodies, and research has detected their presence in several organs, including the lungs, heart, blood, placenta, and even feces.
About ten million tons of microplastics enter the oceans and are released into the atmosphere every year, potentially affecting the composition of clouds.
Scientists say that it has been observed that microplastics in the air are transferred to the troposphere layer and lead to atmospheric pollution. In addition, airborne microplastics may act as dense cloud cores and ice core particles during transport in the free troposphere and atmospheric boundary layer, resulting in plastic rain.
Hiroshi Okuchi, one of the authors of the study, said: If the issue of “plastic air pollution” is not addressed proactively, climate change and environmental hazards may become a reality and cause irreparable and serious environmental damage in the future.