Plastic In Oceans Is Killing A Vital Bacteria That Produces 10% Of Oxygen We Breathe

It's common knowledge by now that, not only are there tonnes of plastic floating around our oceans, but they're also poisoning marine life.

However, there's worse news. Apparently, all of that plastic may also be killing important bacteria, making it harder for us to breathe.

Reuters

According to a new study by Macquarie University, plastic in our oceans and seas leak toxins into the water. These hinder the growth of an important bacteria named Prochlorococcus , as well as limiting its photosynthetic efficiency. Why is this a big deal? Well, because the bacteria in question is responsible for eliminating CO2 and producing about 10 percent of the oxygen we breathe.

"We found that exposure to chemicals leaching from plastic pollution interfered with the growth, photosynthesis and oxygen production of Prochlorococcus, the ocean's most abundant photosynthetic bacteria," lead study author Dr Sasha Tetu said in a press release.

The researchers conducted their tests in a lab setting, which means they're not sure how accurate it is to real-world conditions. Their findings could be way off base, but then again the reality could also be worse than anticipated.

Not just capturing atmospheric carbon, Prochlorococcus is also a key part of the marine food cycle. "Our data shows that plastic pollution may have widespread ecosystem impacts beyond the known effects on macro-organisms, such as seabirds and turtles," Tetu said.

"If we truly want to understand the full impact of plastic pollution in the marine environment and find ways to mitigate it, we need to consider its impact on key microbial groups, including photosynthetic microbes."

This is incredibly worrying given that, according to the World Economic Forum, if plastic pollution continues at its current rate, there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish by 2050.