Researchers have identified a new form of plastic pollution on the beaches of Okinawa, Japan. During routine beach litter surveys, scientists found small, brightly colored specks in pale coral rubble. Laboratory analyses using spectroscopy and microscopy revealed that these specks are melted polymers from common household plastics that have seeped inseparably into the skeletal pores of dead coral pieces.
In a paper published in Marine Pollution Bulletin, researchers from the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST) and the University of the Ryukyus describe these hybrid fragments as 'plasticorals.' First author Dr. Ifenna Ilechukwu and senior author Professor James D. Reimer classify them as a type of plastiglomerate, debris formed from plastic and naturally occurring materials. Each specimen measures 20-30 millimeters wide.
Coral rubble plays an important role in reef ecosystems. New corals use it as a stable substrate, and its irregular shapes shelter juvenile fish and other small marine life from currents and predators. Plasticorals could disrupt these functions. While the exact origin remains unclear, one likely source is beach bonfires. Previous studies show that chemicals leaching from common polymers disrupt coral propagation, and plastic pieces have been found to harbor coral pathogens that can move up the marine food chain.
Plastic is the third-most widely manufactured material in the world, after cement and steel. Unlike those materials, plastic persists for far longer, and future geologists may identify the period from the 1950s onward, popularly called the Plasticene, as a distinct plastic layer in the Earth's crust. Further research is needed to determine the specific, potentially toxic effects of plasticorals on reef organisms.
Source: Hacker News · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing