AFP – For the first time, worrying levels of fibreglass – or glass reinforced plastic (GRP) – particles have been detected in oysters and mussels collected off the south coast of England.
This situation raises both ecological and health-related concerns.
Early this year, research conducted by Dartmouth College in the United States revealed the presence of no less than 26 varieties of PFAS (so-called “forever chemicals”) in samples of cod, haddock, lobster, salmon, scallop, shrimp and tuna. Now, a new study has revealed worrying levels of fibreglass in oysters and mussels.
Researchers from Britain’s University of Brighton and University of Portsmouth have detected worrying levels of fibreglass in a selection of oysters and mussels collected in Chichester Harbour between December 2018 and May 2019. The collection area, located not far from Portsmouth, is situated downstream from an active boatyard. And therein lies the problem.
After analysing the bivalves, the researchers found that oysters contained up to 11,220 fibreglass particles per kilogramme (kg), and mussels had 2,740 fibreglass particles per kg.
The maximum was reached when many boats were under repair. And it’s worth noting that nearly 80 per cent of the hulls of boats less than 20-metre long are made of fibreglass, according to this research, published in the Journal of Hazardous Materials.
In a news release, the study authors state that fibreglass, or glass reinforced plastic (GRP), “which is used extensively in boat manufacturing, is breaking down and contaminating coastal waters. This material, once thought to be durable and beneficial, is now causing unexpected harm to marine life”.
And that’s not all. “The ingestion of GRP can interfere with their digestive systems, leading to physiological stress and even death. This not only affects marine life but could also have significant implications for human health, given that these bivalves often end up on our plates,” the study news release explained. The problem is twofold: on the one hand, it is ecological. “It’s a global issue, particularly for island nations with limited landfill space.
Efforts are being made to find viable disposal solutions, but more needs to be done to prevent at-sea dumping and onshore burning,” said professor Fay Couceiro of the University of Portsmouth.
But it could have repercussions on human health too.
In March, separate research published in the New England Journal of Medicine showed that patients whose carotid artery tissue contained microplastics or nanoplastics were twice as likely to suffer a heart attack or stroke.
