Japanese researchers confirm the presence of microplastics in clouds

Japanese researchers have confirmed for the first time the presence of microplastics in the clouds and have been analyzing their influence on the formation of cumulus clouds and their negative impact on the climateof still uncertain scope.

The study has been carried out by a team led by Professor Hiroshi Okochi from Waseda University, through the analysis of samples of cloud water taken at the summits of Mounts Fuji and Oyama, at heights between 1,300 and 3,776 meters, according to details of the investigation published the day before.

By using advanced imaging techniques such as attenuated total reflection or certain infrared spectroscopythe team determined the presence of microplastics in the fluid and identified nine different types of polymers and one of Rubber with sizes ranging between 7.1 and 94.6 micrometers.

The researchers observed a high presence of hydrophilic polymers (similar to water) possibly a product of the cloud’s own condensation, which suggests that microplastics would already be playing a key role in the formation of clouds“which can eventually affect the climate in general“, they point out.

“The accumulation of microplastics in the atmosphere, especially in the polar regions, can lead to significant changes in the ecological balance of the planet, causing a serious loss of biodiversity”the team notes in the announcement about their findings.

The degradation of microplastics in the upper atmosphere is much greater than at ground level due to the force of the ultraviolet radiation “and this degradation releases greenhouse gases and contributes to the global warming”according to Okochi.

The findings of the study, he says, can serve to take into account the effects of microplastics in future projections on global warming and seek measures in this regard.

“If the matter of air pollution plastics is not proactively addressed, the climate change and the ecological risks can become a reality, causing environmental damage serious and irreversible in the future” adds Okochi.

Microplastics are the particles of plastic less than 5 millimeters, small pieces of this material that are usually found in industrial tributaries and are formed by the degradation of plastic waste more voluminous, becoming a threat environmental.

These small fragments have also been found inside fish and other animals that are part of the human diet, and can cause both toxic and genetic alterations that the scientific community is venturing to investigate.

With information from EFE