A study conducted by British and Italian scientists showed how plastic waste negatively impacts the ocean ecosystem. This leads to serious consequences for the reproduction of local species. The results were published in the journal ChemSphere.
As part of the study, scientists analyzed the impact of PVC pellets on the development of seven species of marine organisms representing the main groups inhabiting the ocean. The results showed that plastic has a destructive effect on embryonic development.
The greatest impact is observed on morphogenesis, which is the process that determines the shape of embryos. In some species, the protective shell or notochord did not form, while others lacked proper bilateral features, and in some cases, development completely ceased after a few cell divisions.
Plastic also negatively affects species that reproduce by asexual division. High concentrations of plastic particles hinder the formation of a viable embryo.
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