A study from the University of Otago reveals that biodegradable plastics, once hailed as a potential solution to plastic pollution, still pose threats to marine life, particularly fish. While petroleum-derived microplastics have known impacts on marine ecosystems, little was known about the effects of their biodegradable counterparts.
The research, funded by a University of Otago Research Grant and published in Science of the Total Environment, is the first to examine the effects of both petroleum-derived and biodegradable plastics on wild fish. Lead author Ashleigh Hawke, a graduate from Otago’s Department of Marine Science, noted that exposure to petroleum-derived plastic negatively affected fish in terms of escape performance, routine swimming, and aerobic metabolism.
In contrast, fish exposed to bioplastics experienced a negative impact only on their maximum escape speed. Hawke emphasizes the significance of the study, indicating that while biodegradable plastics may not be as harmful as traditional plastics, they can still cause detrimental effects on marine life, potentially leading to population decline due to impaired escape behaviors.
Co-author Dr. Bridie Allan, also from the Department of Marine Science, underscores the need for policy-level interventions to safeguard marine environments. Highlighting the variation in manufacturing processes and materials used in biodegradable plastics, Dr. Allan suggests that more regulation and control are essential to mitigate the environmental impact of these materials.
Source: Science Daily