Plastic and its effects on the reproductive system of animals
Much points to the fact that we have people through the production and use of plastics in untold effects on the entire environment and the animal life. A British research team found that in fact, chemicals from plastics, disrupting the hormones of wildlife and the growth and reproduction affect success.
The scientists at the internationally recognised University of Oxford, found in their recent study, chemicals from plastics, a major impact on the reproductive success of wild animals. The doctors published the results of their study in the English journal “Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences”.
Removal of plastic waste is a Problem for our Ecosystem
The wild animals living in our oceans and on Land are exposed to a veritable Cocktail of different pollutants, which are also referred to as endocrine-acting chemicals (EDCs). So far, years of research, in spite of the year, still relatively little is known about how these common substances interact in the environment. The growing Problem of degradation of plastic waste in fragile Ecosystems is one of the key areas of research for scientists today.
PCBS has a negative impact on the reproduction of whales
In the case of killer whales was found, in the past, for example, a high pollutant content of polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBS), which were used in many art, before PCB was banned worldwide in 2004. Apparently, the pollutants in marine animals to problems with reproduction. A herd of whales off the West coast of Scotland, is known that it has a high PCB content, has brought in 25 years, not a single calf more to the world. This shows the strong threat of wild animals by our plastic garbage. In the case of a fully washed-out Orca, the researchers gave the name of Lulu, accumulated 957 mg/kg of PCBS in lipid tissues, a value 100 times above the so-called toxicity threshold. Although Lulu was of childbearing age, it was found that they could not calve. Lulu was barren, as she would be of age in young people, but the animal would already have to be fully developed, say scientists.
Will halve the Population of killer whales?
A Model predicted recently that the number of orcas to respond within a century due to PCBs (on marine mammals are particularly susceptible) and the accumulation of fat-soluble EDCs could be halved in their tissues. The fat-rich milk of the sea animals and their long lactation times have the effect that mothers give more toxins to their offspring. Despite the ban of PCBS the presence of PCBS in Europe seems to have since 1998, more stabilized, to decline as more, possibly due to the Leaching of chemicals in landfills, plastic and other products, in which they were used in the past, explain the scientists.
Interactions between chemicals are largely unknown
The experts examined the possible exposure of marine life and show it to other notes on toxicity. While there are plenty of seabirds, mammals and fish with plastic in the stomach, many of the potential effects of PCBs, unfortunately, is still completely unknown. Although it has been shown that the release of EDCs has adverse effects on wild animal populations, the interactions between the chemicals is still largely unknown, the scientists explain. There is a very large proportion of the chemicals we use every day, on the still, but very little is known. This is not a large gap in our knowledge, because experts know what are the effects of the substances.
Further research is needed
Further studies are needed to predict how chemicals interact in the environment because the current methods for Testing of chemicals according to their production is too slow and the interactions are to be examined between various chemicals in the environment difficult. It is difficult to predict the impact of these and similar chemicals have on the environment, explain the doctors. There is a better understanding of the structure of chemicals would need to be developed, so the possibility of damage to the environment, to predict.
Chemicals can even cause feminization of male fish
The endocrine System is the collection of glands that produce hormones, and plays in almost all biological functions, including growth, development and reproduction, a crucial role. Some of the known sources of EDCS, such as PCBS, were banned, but others are still in operation. These include synthetic hormones such as those used in the anti-baby pill. Of these hormones has already been established that they have an impact on the animal world, including the feminisation of certain male fish, even at very low concentrations. (as)