Chemical additives used in plastic production have been found in herring gull eggs, new research shows. Phthalates are a group of chemicals added to plastics to keep them flexible. The study, by the universities of Exeter and Queensland, looked for evidence of phthalates in newly laid herring gull eggs—and found up to six types of phthalate per egg. Phthalates function as pro-oxidants—potentially causing “oxidative stress” that can damage cells. Researchers collected 13 herring gulls eggs from sites in Cornwall, UK, and all 13 were found to contain phthalates. Phthalates—which are used in most plastic products and readily leech out—are now found in almost every environment on Earth.
https://phys.org/news/2021-06-seabird-eggs-contaminated-cocktail-plastic.html
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