Corals like the taste of plastic: Duke University
Corals ingest plastic because they like the taste, rather than because it resembles prey, according to a study by Duke University in the US. The research found that “unfouled microplastics” were three times more popular with coral than those polluted with bacteria, suggesting that the taste of the plastic itself appealed to the coral. Further research will now be needed to establish which of the hundreds of chemical additives in plastic are specifically attractive to coral. It might then be possible to manufacture plastic that tastes unappealing in order to reduce the threat it poses to marine life.

Plastic in our seas is threatening coral, which scientists now believe may see it as tasty food.

There are fears for the future of coral, such as the Great Barrier Reef, which stretches for 1,400 miles off the coast of Australia.

But plastic waste may be even more dangerous than originally thought, as chemicals it contains appear to be a delicious marine snack.

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Plastic in our seas is threatening coral, which scientists now believe may see it as tasty food. There are fears for the future of coral, such as the Great Barrier Reef, which stretches for 1,400 miles off the coast of Australia

KEY FINDINGS The US researchers looked at microplastics measuring up to five millimetres, or a fifth of an inch. In the first experiment, corals collected from waters off the North Carolina coast were offered eight different types of microplastics and other similarly-sized items such as clean sand. They ate every plastic type but mainly ignored the sand. The second experiment saw the corals offered clean plastic fragments or plastic covered in microbes, which are believed to be tasty and nutritious for the tiny marine organisms. Over a 30-minute period, the corals were three times more likely to choose to eat the plastic without the microbes. Advertisement !- - ad: https://mads.dailymail.co.uk/v8/ru/sciencetech/none/article/other/mpu_factbox.html?id=mpu_factbox_1 - ->

Corals, unlike the seagulls, turtles and fish which swallow plastic, do not mistake it for prey because they have no eyes.

But a new study suggests it tastes good to them, with coral choosing to eat plastic ahead of sand and nutritious microbes.

The findings, by Duke University, raise concerns because plastic poses a risk of choking or intestinal blockages which could kill off areas of coral reef.

These reefs are important because they support populations of larger marine life like fish, which humans rely on for food.

Austin Allen, who co-led the study with Alexander Seymour, said: 'Corals in our experiments ate all types of plastics but preferred unfouled microplastics by a threefold difference over microplastics covered in bacteria.

'This suggests the plastic itself contains something that makes it tasty.'

Co-author Alexander Seymour added: 'When plastic comes from the factory, it has hundreds of chemical additives on it.

The findings, by Duke University, raise concerns because plastic poses a risk of choking or intestinal blockages which could kill off areas of coral reef. These reefs are important because they support populations of larger marine life like fish, which humans rely on for food

'Any one of these chemicals or a combination of them could be acting as a stimulant that makes plastic appealing to corals.'

The major threats to coral include 'bleaching', which turns coral white as a result of unusually warm ocean temperatures, overfishing and pollution - which includes plastic waste.

The US researchers looked at microplastics measuring up to five millimetres, or a fifth of an inch.

The Daily Mail has campaigned against these plastics, including microbeads found in cosmetics and plastic bags and bottles which form fragments when they break down in the environment.

REPORT REVEALS 95% OF PLASTIC POLLUTING THE WORLD'S OCEANS COMES FROM JUST TEN RIVERS Up to 95 per cent of plastic polluting the world's oceans pours in from just ten rivers, according to new research. The top 10 rivers - eight of which are in Asia - accounted for so much plastic because of the mismanagement of waste. About five trillion pounds is floating in the sea, and targeting the major sources - such as the Yangtze and the Ganges - could almost halve it, scientists claim. Up to 95 per cent of plastic polluting the world's oceans pours in from just ten rivers, according to new research. The top 10 rivers, including the River Niger (pictured) accounted for so much plastic because of the mismanagement of waste Massive amounts of plastic bits that imperil aquatic life are washing into the oceans and even the most pristine waters. But how it all gets there from inland cities has not been fully understood. Now a study shows the top 10 rivers - eight of which are in Asia - accounted for 88 to 95 per cent of the total global load because of the mismanagement of waste. The top 10 rivers - eight of which are in Asia - accounted for so much plastic because of the mismanagement of waste The team calculated halving plastic pollution in these waterways could potentially reduce the total contribution by all rivers by 45 per cent. They analysed data on debris from 79 sampling sites along 57 rivers - both microplastic particles measuring less than 5 mm and macroplastic above this size. They said microplastics in particular can damage the health of marine life but cleaning it all up would be impossible. However stemming the tide could help reduce the potential harm. Advertisement !- - ad: https://mads.dailymail.co.uk/v8/ru/sciencetech/none/article/other/mpu_factbox.html?id=mpu_factbox_2 - ->

In the first experiment, corals collected from waters off the North Carolina coast were offered eight different types of microplastics and other similarly-sized items such as clean sand.

They ate every plastic type but mainly ignored the sand.

The second experiment saw the corals offered clean plastic fragments or plastic covered in microbes, which are believed to be tasty and nutritious for the tiny marine organisms.

Over a 30-minute period, the corals were three times more likely to choose to eat the plastic without the microbes.

In the first experiment, corals collected from waters off the North Carolina coast were offered eight different types of microplastics (pictured in a seperate experiment) and other similarly-sized items such as clean sand

The researchers are calling for more research on how taste could make corals more eager to consume plastic.

While they pass the foods they eat, around eight per cent of the plastic stayed in their guts for 24 hours or more.

Plastic could kill corals by convincing the organisms they are full when they are not, so they do not eat the food they need.

WHO DUMPS THE MOST PLASTIC? So much plastic is dumped into the sea each year that it would fill five carrier bags for every foot of coastline on the planet, scientists have warned. More than half of the plastic waste that flows into the oceans comes from just five countries: China, Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam and Sri Lanka. The only industrialized western country on the list of top 20 plastic polluters is the United States at No. 20. The U.S. and Europe are not mismanaging their collected waste, so the plastic trash coming from those countries is due to litter, researchers said. While China is responsible for 2.4 million tons of plastic that makes its way into the ocean, nearly 28 percent of the world total, the United States contributes just 77,000 tons, which is less than one percent, according to the study published in the journal Science. Advertisement !- - ad: https://mads.dailymail.co.uk/v8/ru/sciencetech/none/article/other/mpu_factbox.html?id=mpu_factbox_3 - ->

It is also a choking and blockage hazard, while containing potentially gender-bending chemicals which can leach into corals or the fish which eat them.

On the findings, published in the online edition of the journal Marine Pollution Bulletin, Mr Seymour said: 'Ultimately, the hope is that if we can manufacture plastic so it unintentionally tastes good to these animals, we might also be able to manufacture it so it intentionally tastes bad.

'That could significantly help reduce the threat these microplastics pose.'