Ascidians, also known as sea squirts, sit in one place all their life and filter the water, like a pump. They filter tiny particles from the ocean and store them in their soft tissue. As a bonus, sea squirts are related in evolutionary terms to human beings. Studying them and the plastic inside them could be more insightful than looking at creatures like fish or clams.
A staggering amount of plastic flows into the ocean each year; the U.N. says it is as if a garbage truck full of plastic was dumped into the water every minute; a rate that could lead to oceans carrying more plastic than fish in 30 years!
Over time, plastic breaks down into microplastics, ranging from the size of a grain of rice on down. They mix with microbeads, tiny plastic beads that are added as exfoliants to cleansers and toothpastes that are flushed away. These are eaten by wildlife, filling their bellies, exposing them to chemical additives and, potentially, entering the food chain.
Picture Credit : Google
