this post was submitted on 24 Dec 2025
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UK Nature and Environment

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A species of crab has been found to play an "unheralded role" in the breakdown of microplastic particles, according to scientists.

The University of Exeter said scientists observed fiddler crabs in a polluted mangrove forest in Colombia ingest "large quantities of small plastic particles in the sediment".

It said the species could break down plastics within days - but scientists warned of a potential release of harmful nanoplastics into their tissues and, consequently, the food chain.

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[โ€“] Wintergr33n@lingo.lol 7 points 1 month ago (1 children)

@GreyShuck

>It said the species could break down plastics within days - but scientists warned of a potential release of harmful nanoplastics into their tissues and, consequently, the food chain.

[โ€“] Flisty@mstdn.social 6 points 1 month ago

@Wintergr33n @GreyShuck Christ. Nanoplastics now. I mean I'm not surprised - in fact I probably already knew but didn't register it - but I hate that I've realised.