Science The Cool Down Researchers issue warning after discovering ‘invisible’ threat to coastal cities: ‘This rewrites the script’

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A study has found that microplastics in the ocean are deposited on land during typhoons.

What’s happening?

In research published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology, experts sought to discover how tropical storms, including typhoons, hurricanes, and cyclones, impacted plastic pollution in the oceans.

They found that microplastic deposition levels increased as typhoons made landfall and decreased as they passed.

“The data showed an unambiguous, transient pulse of pollution generated by the storm itself,” said researcher Taiseer Hussain Nafea, per Phys.org.

Using the chemical composition and direction of the storms, the researchers could confirm a link indicating that microplastics were dragged from the ocean.

“The storms were actively transferring ocean-sourced microplastics into the atmosphere and depositing them on land,” Nafea said.

Why is this study concerning?

“This discovery reveals a direct, physical link between two of our greatest environmental crises, plastic pollution and climate change, a link that suggests they may now be fueling each other,” wrote Nafea.

According to Reuters, evidence suggests that typhoons are increasing in intensity due to rising global temperatures linked to human activities.

Meanwhile, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration noted that typhoons put “millions of people at risk” due to high winds and flooding.

This study shows that there is even more danger for those in areas affected by typhoons.

“For coastal cities, this rewrites the script on typhoon risk,” Nafea wrote. “Beyond wind and water, storms now bring an invisible, inhalable plume of plastic.”

Microplastics are minuscule plastic particles that are found everywhere on the planet, from the oceans to every human’s body.

More research is needed to understand the effects of microplastics on humans and the environment, but research suggests they could be linked to liver problems and neurological issues, among other health conditions.

What can be done about microplastics?

“Cleaning plastic from coasts and rivers is no longer just an environmental act, it’s a critical step in climate adaptation and public health defense,” said Nafea. “It’s about disarming the storms of the future.”

There is an estimated 75 million to 199 million metric tons of plastic in the world’s oceans, according to the World Economic Forum, emphasizing the need to use less plastic.

Some groups, such as The Ocean Cleanup and the Ocean Legacy Foundation, are dedicated to cleaning plastic from the oceans to help reduce the amount of plastic that threatens marine wildlife and could end up back on land during typhoons as microplastics.

Meanwhile, one study found a way to remove microplastics from drinking water, while another report found that probiotics could help combat toxins found in microplastics.

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