Organisms can be negatively affected by plastic
nanoparticles, not just in the seas and oceans but in freshwater bodies too.
These particles slow the growth of algae, cause deformities in water fleas and
impede communication between small organisms and fish. These are the results of
research carried out by Wageningen University and IMARES, part of Wageningen
UR, published in the latest issue of Environmental Science and Technology. It
is the first time that such effects of plastic on freshwater organisms have
been studied.