Ungcoliseko lwePlastiki kuLwandlekazi lweAtlantiki luPhakame Kakhulu kuneBekade Kucingwa

iplastiki ngco liseko ibeka isoyikiso esikhulu kwi-ikhosistim kwihlabathi jikelele ngakumbi imo engqongileyo yaselwandle njengoko uninzi lwe iiplastiki isetyenziswe kwaye ilahlwe ukufikelela ekugqibeleni emilanjeni naselwandle. Oku kunoxanduva lokungalingani kwezinto eziphilayo zaselwandle ezibangela ingozi kubomi bolwandle¹ kwaye ekugqibeleni ichaphazela impilo yabantu². Eyona nto ixhalabisayo zii-microplastics zaselwandle (10-1000uM) ezingena elwandle zisuka kwimithombo eyahlukeneyo enjengokhukuliseko lweendawo zokulahla inkunkuma, ukuthuthwa ukusuka kwimimandla eselunxwemeni nengaphakathi elizweni, ukuloba, ukuthunyelwa kweenqanawa kunye nokulahlwa ngokuthe ngqo elwandle ngokungekho mthethweni.

Ngokutsho kophando lwakutsha nje³, kukho uqikelelo oludityanisiweyo oluphakathi kwe-11-21 lezigidi zeetoni zeentlobo ezintathu eziphambili zenkunkuma. iiplastiki (i-polyethylene, i-polypropylene, kunye ne-polystyrene) ye-32-651 µm yobukhulu-umgangatho oxhonywe kumphezulu wama-200 m kuLwandlekazi lwe-Atlantiki nto leyo iguqulela kuma-200 ezigidi zeetoni ukuba uthathela ingqalelo ubunzulu bubonke be-3000m yoLwandlekazi lweAtlantiki.

Kuyabonakala ukuba, oku kungangqinelani kubangelwe kukuba uphando olwenziwa ngaphambili aluzange luquke izixa 'ezingabonakaliyo' zamasuntswana e-microplastic angaphantsi komphezulu wolwandle. Enyanisweni, iinkqubo ze-cascading ezihambisa i-microplastics kwimisele ye-hadal (eyona ndawo inzulu yolwandle) iyadlala. Kukho iingxelo zoxinaniso oluphezulu kakhulu lwe microplastics kweyona mimandla inzulu eyaziwayo kwi iplanethi, amathafa enzonzobila kunye nemisele enehadal ebekwe kuLwandlekazi lwePasifiki (4900 m–10,890 m)^5.  

Uphando lwangoku ³ yeyokuqala yohlobo lwayo eyenziwa ngaphesheya kweAtlantiki iphela, ukusuka e-UK ukuya eFalklands. Oku kuvavanywe ngco liseko ukusuka kwi-polyethylene (PE), i-polypropylene (PP) kunye ne-polystyrene (PS) inkunkuma kwiindawo ezili-12 kumgama oyi-10,000 km kuMntla-Mazantsi kuLwandle lwe-Atlantiki. Uphononongo lubonise ukuba olona gxininiso lobunzima buphezulu yayiyi-PE elandelwa yiPP kunye ne-PS. Oku kwakuhambelana nokwakhiwa kwepolymer ye iplastiki inkunkuma eyenziwa kwihlabathi jikelele ⁴ kwaye yabanjwa kumphezulu wolwandle naphantsi kolwandle.  

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Iingxelo: 

1. I-GESAMP, 2016. Imithombo, i-Fate kunye neziphumo zeMicroplastics kwiNdawo yoLwandle (Icandelo 2). Umbutho wamazwe ngamazwe wezoLwandle. Iyafumaneka kwi-intanethi http://www.gesamp.org/site/assets/files/1275/sources-fate-and-effects-of-microplastics-in-the-marine-environment-part-2-of-a-global-assessment-en.pdf  

2. Wright SL kunye noKelly FJ. iplastiki kunye nempilo yabantu: umba omncinci? Indalo engqongileyo. Sci. Iteknoloji.51, 6634-6647 (2017). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.7b00423 

3. Pabortsava K, Lampitt RS. Izigxina eziphezulu zeplastiki ezifihlwe ngaphantsi komphezulu woLwandlekazi lweAtlantiki. Ipapashwe: 18 Agasti 2020. Nat Commun 11, 4073 (2020). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-17932-9  

4. IGeyer, R., Jambeck, JR & Law, KL Production, ukusetyenziswa, kunye nekamva lazo zonke iiplastiki ezakha zenziwa. Sci. Adv.3, e1700782 (2017). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.1700782 

5. Penga G., Bellerby R., et al 2019. Elona bhobhoyi lokulahla ulwandle: Imisele yaseHadal njengeendawo eziphambili zokugcina ungcoliseko lweplastiki. Uphando lwamanzi. Umqulu 168, 1 kaJanuwari 2020. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2019.115121  

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