Are microplastics a risk to food security?
Presentation Abstract
Microplastic pollution (particles < 5mm) is a growing concern in marine ecosystems, particularly because of its potential impacts on organismal health. Microplastic ingestion has been observed for a wide range of marine organisms including worms, bivalves and fish, including commercially valuable species and those consumed by humans. It is unclear if microplastics pose a threat to food safety and, at a larger scale, food security. Food security encompasses four dimensions including 1) Availability – food must be available based on food production, stock levels and trade, 2) Access – food must be physically (e.g. food supply) and economically accessible (e.g. affordability), 3) Utilization – the way the body uses nutrients combined with feeding practices, food preparation, diet diversity and household distribution of food will determine nutritional status of individuals and 4) Stability – the above three dimensions must be stable over time to ensure food security. Marine debris has the potential to affect the availability, use and stability dimensions of food security. This presentation will discuss how microplastics relate to each of these dimensions and, the level of risk this contaminant poses given the current status of knowledge.
Session Title
Plastic in the Salish Sea
Conference Track
Fate and Effects of Pollutants
Conference Name
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference (2016 : Vancouver, B.C.)
Document Type
Event
Start Date
2016 12:00 AM
End Date
2016 12:00 AM
Location
2016SSEC
Type of Presentation
Oral
Genre/Form
conference proceedings; presentations (communicative events)
Contributing Repository
Digital content made available by University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University.
Subjects – Topical (LCSH)
Microplastics--Environmental aspects; Marine pollution; Marine sciences
Rights
This resource is displayed for educational purposes only and may be subject to U.S. and international copyright laws. For more information about rights or obtaining copies of this resource, please contact University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA 98225-9103, USA (360-650-7534; heritage.resources@wwu.edu) and refer to the collection name and identifier. Any materials cited must be attributed to the Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference Records, University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University.
Type
Text
Language
English
Format
application/pdf
Are microplastics a risk to food security?
2016SSEC
Microplastic pollution (particles < 5mm) is a growing concern in marine ecosystems, particularly because of its potential impacts on organismal health. Microplastic ingestion has been observed for a wide range of marine organisms including worms, bivalves and fish, including commercially valuable species and those consumed by humans. It is unclear if microplastics pose a threat to food safety and, at a larger scale, food security. Food security encompasses four dimensions including 1) Availability – food must be available based on food production, stock levels and trade, 2) Access – food must be physically (e.g. food supply) and economically accessible (e.g. affordability), 3) Utilization – the way the body uses nutrients combined with feeding practices, food preparation, diet diversity and household distribution of food will determine nutritional status of individuals and 4) Stability – the above three dimensions must be stable over time to ensure food security. Marine debris has the potential to affect the availability, use and stability dimensions of food security. This presentation will discuss how microplastics relate to each of these dimensions and, the level of risk this contaminant poses given the current status of knowledge.
