New plastic pollution discovered: 'Plasticorals' coral rubble fused with plastic
Researchers have discovered a new form of plastic pollution called 'plasticorals', where plastic waste fuses with coral rubble via thermal sources like beach bonfires. This creates synthetic-natural hybrid debris that poses potential risks to marine ecosystems.
Why it matters
Exposes a novel and insidious mechanism by which plastic pollution integrates into marine environments and threatens reef propagation.
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Plasticoral collected on Ibu Beach inside the protected Yanbaru National Park in northern Okinawa.
Plasticoral collected on Sosu Beach, also inside the protected Yanbaru National Park in northern Okinawa.
A different view of the plasticoral collected on Sosu Beach.
Plasticoral found at the bottom of a beach firepit at Sosu Beach. Plastic waste combined with beach fires is a likely source of plasticorals, as the heat thermally adheres the polymers to the coral rubble.
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