Scientists make disturbing discovery in iconic US waterway — here's what they found

One scientist's innovative experiment to test the waters of Lake Erie revealed that the concentration of microplastics in the water has skyrocketed over the past decade, as Cleveland.com reported.

What's happening?

Plastic bags, water bottles, and straws are ubiquitous in modern life, but they can pose alarming health risks when they wind up in our waterways. Instead of biodegrading like organic materials, they break down into tiny, polluting particles known as microplastics.

Dr. Sherri Mason, a chemist who researches freshwater plastic pollution, set out to measure the prevalence of microplastics in the fourth largest of the Great Lakes. She first used a trawling net to capture water samples from Lake Erie in 2014. Ten years later, she collected new samples from similar parts of the lake and found that the concentration of microplastics had increased astronomically.

One part of the lake had 18,000 microplastic particles per square kilometer in 2014, but 92,000 in 2023, according to Cleveland.com. Near Canada, the concentration went from 16,000 to 188,000 in a decade.

Why is this discovery concerning?

Microplastics in the human body have been linked to health issues such as heart attacks, dementia, and decreased fertility. One of the most common ways for microplastics to enter the human body is through ingestion. Given that the Great Lakes provide drinking water to more than 40 million people, as the Guardian reported, their high levels of microplastic pollution are particularly concerning.

The pollution levels could also be linked to weather changes associated with the warming climate. As Jill Bartolotta, who worked for an organization promoting stewardship of Lake Erie, told Cleveland.com, increasingly intense storms are dragging more polluting plastics into the lake.

What's being done about microplastics?

Scientists are still trying to figure out exactly how microplastics behave inside the human body, and this research will be critical to appropriately addressing the issue. Meanwhile, other scientists are working on innovative solutions, such as plastic-eating bacteria, that could eventually helprestore our water quality.

However, the best way to prevent microplastic pollution is to use less plastic overall. Some states have enacted plastic bag bans, while others have prohibited plastic food takeout containers. You can also limit your personal exposure to plastic — and contribution to microplastic pollution — by picking up groceries in a reusable tote or switching to a glass or metal water bottle.

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