Draft #1__Informative Report

 Outline

Introduction:

-explanation of the main topic (concepts, main ideas)

-hook

-thesis

Paragraph 1:

-how microplastics affect marine life

-provide evidence

-transition to 2nd paragraph

Paragraph 2:

-evidence

-transition

Paragraph 3:

-solutions

-transition

Conclusion:

-reiterate/summarize all that has been said

-call to action

Next steps: Continue to elaborate the report, and add more information and evidence to fully

support claims. Smoother transitions are needed.

Collection of articles I might use:

-https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/03/science/ocean-plastic-animals.html

-https://jecoenv.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s41610-020-0148-x

-https://particleandfibretoxicology.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12989-020-00387-7

The Impact of Microplastics on Marine Life:

The presence of microplastics in the ocean has been a growing concern for the past

several years. Microplastics are small pieces of plastic that exist in our environment as a direct

result of human activities. They can be described as plastics less than five millimeters (0.2

inches) in diameter—smaller in diameter than the standard pearl used in jewelry (National

Geographic). Many everyday products, such as bottles, bags, and clothing contain synthetic

materials that can break down into small fragments over time by exposure to environmental

factors, mainly due to the sun’s radiation and ocean waves. These microplastics can be found in

oceans, rivers, and even in the air we breathe. The existence of these microplastics has been

causing many issues in our oceans and is negatively affecting ocean life.

Mass production of plastics began in the mid-20th century, and since then around 3.86

metric tons of microplastics, or pieces measuring less than 5 millimeters, have been estimated to

be in the North Atlantic (Allen, 2021), and according to the New York Times, a recent model

found that 99.8 percent of plastic that has entered the ocean since 1950 had sunk below the first

few hundred feet of the ocean. Scientists have found 10,000 times more microplastics on the

seafloor than in contaminated surface waters (New York Times, 2022). Unfortunately, many

types of marine life are attracted to microplastics and treat them as food, leading to internal

accumulation and potential intoxication. Microplastics can also absorb toxic substances, making

them even more lethal, According to an analysis, globally, about 26% of fish species are found to

ingest microplastics (Allen, 2021), which can affect the fish’s ability to survive and reproduce

and can have population-level impacts. Additionally, microplastics can cause physical injuries to

marine life, such as entanglement, perforation, and the disruption of aquatic food webs. Despite

all the damage microplastics have on our environment, they are extremely difficult to eliminate

and can remain in the water for decades if not more.

Microplastics have been found in commercial seafood, drinking water, and even in the

smallest of creatures like plankton to even bigger marine life like whales, among other marine

creatures. Sadly, conventional water treatment facilities are unable to completely eradicate all

signs of microplastics and toxins in the water. Since they could include hazardous substances

utilized in the production process, such as phthalates, bisphenol A, and others, plastics could

pose a risk to both marine life and people. The marine fish and marine food chain is impacted in

many different ways by marine microplastics. The microplastics may reduce food intake, delay

growth, cause oxidative damage, and cause aberrant behavior in fish and other aquatic species.

Additionally, dangerous substances like polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), whose exposure has

been directly related to cancer and other severe human health issues, can be absorbed by plastics

from the environment.

There are currently insufficient efficient treatment options despite the fact that marine

microplastic contamination is becoming a major worldwide pollution crisis, a few that are worth

mentioning are a few techniques to reduce microplastics in the ocean that should be taken into

account. Future research should examine the size, shape, and associated pollutants. This can

include altering the characteristics of plastic products. For instance, they may make pens more

flexible and water bottles more hard. Increase recycling and discourage littering in the waters in

hopes of making our environment a better and safer place.

Works cited:

Allen, Jennifer. “Microplastics: The ‘big Little Problem’ Plaguing Oceans.” Coastal

Review, 23 July 2021,

coastalreview.org/2021/07/microplastics-the-big-little-problem-plaguing-our-oceans/.

Imbler, Sabrina. “In the Ocean, It’s Snowing Microplastics.” The New York Times, The

New York Times, 3 Apr. 2022,

www.nytimes.com/2022/04/03/science/ocean-plastic-animals.html.

“Microplastics.” Education, education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/microplastics/.

Accessed 21 Sept. 2023.