1.
Nature
; 252(5482): 387-8, 1974 Nov 29.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-4215031
2.
Bull Environ Contam Toxicol
; 8(6): 345-55, 1972 Dec.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-4205510
3.
Science
; 178(4062): 749-50, 1972 Nov 17.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-4628343
ABSTRACT
Polystyrene spherules averaging 0.5 millimeter in diameter (range 0.1 to 2 millimeters) are abundant in the coastal waters of southern New England. Two types are present, a crystalline (clear) form and a white, opaque form with pigmentation resulting from a diene rubber. The spherules have bacteria on their surfaces and contain polychlorinated biphenyls, apparently absorbed from ambient seawater, in a concentration of 5 parts per million. White, opaque spherules are selectively consumed by 8 species of fish out of 14 species examined, and a chaetognath. Ingestion of the plastic may lead to intestinal blockage in smaller fish.
Subject(s)
Polystyrenes/analysis , Water Pollution, Chemical/analysis , Animals , Bacteria , Connecticut , Digestive System/analysis , Fishes , Massachusetts , Polychlorinated Biphenyls/analysis , Rhode Island , Spectrophotometry, Infrared , Water Microbiology
4.