Plastic pollution has long been a problem, but now it’s gotten to a new height – literally.
塑料污染一直是個問題，但現(xiàn)在確實(shí)已經(jīng)上升到了新的高度。
Microplastics, referring to plastic fragments and particles less than 5 millimeters in diameter, have been found on Mount Qomolangma as high as 8,440 meters above sea level, just 408.86 meters below the peak of the mountain, according to a recent study published in the journal One Earth.
最近發(fā)表在《One Earth》期刊上的一項(xiàng)研究表明，在珠穆拉瑪峰海拔8440米處發(fā)現(xiàn)了微塑料，這是一種直徑不足5毫米的塑料碎片與微粒，距離珠峰峰頂僅408.86米。
“These are the highest microplastics [ever] discovered so far,” lead author Imogen Napper from the University of Plymouth, UK, said in a statement.
“這是迄今為止發(fā)現(xiàn)的地處位置最高的微塑料，”該研究的第一作者、英國普利茅斯大學(xué)的伊莫金·納珀在一份聲明中稱。
Scientists collected snow and water samples from 19 different locations from 4,200 meters above sea level all the way up to the summit of Mount Qomolangma. They found microplastics in all the water samples and part of the snow samples. The most polluted sample was from the Base Camp in Nepal, where most human activity on the mountain is concentrated. It had 79 particles of microplastics per liter of snow.
科學(xué)家從珠峰海拔4200米處出發(fā)，沿著登頂路線從19個不同地點(diǎn)采集了積雪和溪水樣本。他們發(fā)現(xiàn)在所有溪水樣本和部分積雪樣本中都存在微塑料。污染最嚴(yán)重的樣本來自尼泊爾境內(nèi)的珠峰大本營，那里是珠峰上人類活動最集中的地方。每升積雪中含有79個塑料微粒。
But how have these fragments made it all this way and in such a great abundance? The answer is apparent – human activities. It is climbers who bring plastic products to the mountain. Even if they don’t litter, just walking for 20 minutes or opening a bottle of water can release microplastics into the environment.
但這些大量的微粒又是如何到達(dá)珠峰的呢？答案顯而易見——人類活動。正是登山者將塑料制品帶到了山上。即便他們沒有扔垃圾，僅僅步行20分鐘或打開一瓶水也能向環(huán)境中釋放微塑料。
The harsh fact is that plastic pollution has reached even the most remote places on Earth. Researchers even found a plastic bag at the deepest point in the world’s oceans – in the Mariana Trench, located in the Pacific Ocean. The bag is the same as the ones commonly used in grocery stores.
殘酷的事實(shí)是，塑料污染已經(jīng)到達(dá)了地球上最遙遠(yuǎn)的地方。研究者甚至在全球海洋最深處—— 位于太平洋的馬里亞納海溝發(fā)現(xiàn)了一個塑料袋。這個袋子和雜貨店常用的袋子一模一樣。
Even covered in ice, the Arctic is still a victim of plastic pollution. A 2020 report published in Nature suggests that there are 2,000 to 17,000 plastic particles per cubic meter in Arctic ice cores, and between 0 to 18 microplastic particles per cubic meter from the water beneath ice floes. Experts think microplastics may be transported by air and then reach the North Pole in snowfall.
即便被冰雪覆蓋，北極也難逃塑料污染之害?！蹲匀弧菲诳?020年發(fā)表的一份報(bào)告顯示，每立方米北極冰芯中有2000到17000個塑料顆粒，浮冰下每立方米水中有0到18個微塑料顆粒。專家認(rèn)為微塑料或許是通過空氣運(yùn)輸，再經(jīng)過降雪落到北極。
“What we don’t yet fully know is the potential problems these tiny pieces of plastic could be having to ecosystems, to organisms and even to our own health as well,” said Christian Dunn of Bangor University, UK.
“這些微小的塑料碎片可能會對生態(tài)系統(tǒng)、微生物乃至我們的自身健康造成什么樣的潛在問題，我們還無法完全知曉，”英國班戈大學(xué)的克里斯蒂安·鄧恩表示。
Then what can we do? “We need to start focusing on deeper technological solutions that focus on microplastics, like changing fabric design and incorporating natural fibers instead of plastic when possible,” Napper said.
那我們能做什么？“我們需要開始關(guān)注微塑料相關(guān)的更深入的技術(shù)解決方案上，如改變面料設(shè)計(jì)，盡可能使用天然纖維代替塑料，”納珀說。
(Translator & Editor: Wang Yue (Intern) AND Wang Xingwei)
http://www.cycjq.cn/story/3630.html
