Microplastics - an environmental threat?

Where do microplastics come from? Do they pose a threat?
This is a seminar by Bethanie Carney Almroth at GMV Dec 7th 2017.
Plastics make up a group of fantastic materials that have revolutionized our society, and their use in medical applications, technology, transport, food safety, water access, etc. has greatly advanced human health. However, production and usage of plastics in society has increased greatly, as has the spread of plastics in all environments on Earth. Plastics are also known to contain thousands of chemicals, many of which are known to, or suspected to cause negative human health effects. The occurrence of plastic litter and debris in the marine environment also has a great impact on marine life as well as on fisheries, tourism and transport, to great economic costs. However, this macroplastic is not the only question of concern on the public and political agenda. Microplastics are a subject receiving much attention, both within the research field and within society. But what is the current state of knowledge concerning microplastics? What are their sources? How are they spread? Where do they go? What effects do they cause? Do they pose a threat? These questions are discussed at this FRAM seminar.
Bethanie Carney Almroth is a member of the Fish Ecotoxicology group at the department of Biological and Environmental Sciences at University of Gothenburg. Her research has focused on oxidative stress, aquatic ecotoxicology and environmental pollution, using fish as models. She is currently leading several research projects aimed at defining the effects of microplastic pollution on fish, A sea of plastic, iMPACT, and Clean Coastline (Renkustlinje) funded by Formas and Interreg. These projects address the sources, spread, and effects of both the microparticles as well as associated chemicals on fish.