Microplastics 'have greater threat to marine life'

Acartia tonsa are part of the ocean's food chain

A new study has found that a mix of different types of tiny plastic particles (microplastics) is more harmful to a small marine creature than just one type of plastic.

The creature, called Acartia tonsa, is important because it is part of the ocean's food chain, said researchers from the universities of Exeter and Plymouth, working alongside colleagues in Norway.

The researchers tested how mixed plastics affected the creatures in various ways, including their survival, how much they ate, and how well their eggs and young ones developed.

They discovered that the mixed plastics caused more harm, including a high death rate at certain concentrations.

Dr Zara Botterell, who led the study, said the new information was crucial for understanding the risks and setting safety limits for plastic pollution.

She also suggested ways to improve future tests to get even better results.

"We provide several recommendations and suggestions which may aid and improve future toxicity test protocols, including increased replication and software automation," she said.