¶ … sciencedaily.com/Releases/2012/04/120417102506.htm In the article titled: "Plastic garbage in oceans: Understanding marine pollution from microplastic particles," discussion starts with the danger posed by microplastic particles to numerous marine life that inhabit the oceans and seas. These "large quantities of globally produced plastics end up in the oceans where they represent a growing risk." The smallest objects within the range of particles that make up the pollution are microplastic particles which not only pose the greatest risk in harming marine wildlife, but also remain the least investigated pollutant. The article wishes to show how efforts are being undertaken to establish standardized guidelines to help record and characterize microplastic particles in the sea for analysis and measurement of its impact on marine wildlife.

When observing the source of these microplastic particles, the investigators note the water bottles in and around the shorelines and the pieces of plastic floating in the water creating the microplastic phenomenon. These microplastic particles are ingested by animals like mussels and others in varying stages of the food chain which could have adverse effects on people who consume these animals. Microplastic particles are defined as: "understanding these to mean plastic objects whose diameter is less than five millimeters -- whereby the majority of microplastic particles are smaller than a grain of sand...

But due to the various studies, investigators can now deduce that smaller holed nets can trap more microplastic particles therefore providing a more accurate measure of how many of these particles are within the water. "It emerged that 100,000 times more microplastic particles could be fished out of the water column if a net with a mesh of 85 micrometers was used instead of one with 450 micrometers." The article ends with the need for standardization of methods to lead to overall better results.
Evaluation: The article was based off of a journal article: Microplastics in the Marine Environment: A Review of the Methods Used for Identification and Quantification. It was listed in the references which gave some credibility to the article. A lot of the statements presented in the article seemed based on legitimate information observed, investigated, and studied by scientists and people interested and learned in the field of marine pollution. All of the quotes provided in the summary come from scientific sources and the information appears to be tested and approved. The background on the gaps in research and the observances of the possible sources of the microplastic particles appears legitimate with logic explanation and a good suggestion for solutions and information.

Assessment: Short-term damage can be immediately seen through finding animals with ingested plastics…