nanoplastic
Microscopic synthetic debris
Nanoplastics are plastic particles smaller than one micrometer—invisible to the naked eye and small enough to penetrate cell membranes.
They form when larger plastic debris breaks down in the environment, or are manufactured for industrial and cosmetic use.
Research increasingly links nanoplastics to concerns about human health and ecosystem contamination: Nanoplastics have been detected in drinking water and human blood.
Tiny plastic cosmetic particles
- microfibersUltrafine synthetic textile strands
- contaminantSubstance that pollutes
- residueMatter left behind
- particlesMinute pieces of matter
fragment · accumulation · sediment · bioaccumulation · leachate · runoff · wastewater · stormwater
Too small for optical viewing
- ultrafineExceptionally small in size
- nanomaterialsUltrasmall engineered matter
- spectroscopyStudy of light-matter interaction
- colloidalEvenly suspended throughout
Thermoplastic from ethylene gas
- polypropyleneVersatile thermoplastic resin
- polystyreneLightweight synthetic foam plastic
- PETNuclear medicine imaging
- polymerLarge repeated-unit molecule
plasticizer · phthalates · additive · nonbiodegradable · PVC · polyurethane · polycarbonate · acrylic
Consuming into the body
- absorptionProcess of taking in
- carcinogenicCauses cancer
- inflammationProtective tissue response
- inhalationTaking breath in
Soft-bodied invertebrates, often shelled
- fisheriesFish-harvesting operations
- seabirdsOcean-dwelling avians
- planktonDrifting marine microlife
- zooplanktonDrifting aquatic microorganisms
microbeads
Tiny plastic cosmetic particles
- microfibersUltrafine synthetic textile strands
- contaminantSubstance that pollutes
- residueMatter left behind
particles · fragment · accumulation · sediment · bioaccumulation · leachate · runoff · wastewater · stormwater · ubiquity
submicroscopic
Too small for optical viewing
- ultrafineExceptionally small in size
- nanomaterialsUltrasmall engineered matter
- spectroscopyStudy of light-matter interaction
colloidal · filtration · characterization · microscopy · aggregation
polyethylene
Thermoplastic from ethylene gas
- polypropyleneVersatile thermoplastic resin
- polystyreneLightweight synthetic foam plastic
- PETNuclear medicine imaging
polymer · plasticizer · phthalates · additive · nonbiodegradable · PVC · polyurethane · polycarbonate · acrylic · nylon
ingestion
Consuming into the body
- absorptionProcess of taking in
- carcinogenicCauses cancer
- inflammationProtective tissue response
mollusks
Soft-bodied invertebrates, often shelled
nanoplasticorganic matter
Material from living sources
natural fiber · cellulose · humus · wood fiber · biopolymer
plastic, plasticity, nano, nanoscale, nanometer, nanotechnology, nanotube, nanoparticle, nanomaterial