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British scientists from York and Hull have discovered microplastic particles in archaeological deposits dating back to the I-II centuries AD. This is reported by gazeta.ru with reference to Science of the Total Environment (STE).
Microplastics are tiny pieces of plastic ranging in size from 1 micrometer to 5 millimeters. They cannot be seen with the naked eye, but their impact on science and the environment is enormous.
“We thought these archaeological deposits were pristine, ideal for research”, - says Professor John Schofield. - “But they turned out to be contaminated with plastic. This even applies to samples dating back to the 1980s!”
The study identified 16 different types of microplastics in both modern and archival sediment samples.
“Plastic pollution is not just an environmental problem, it is a threat to archaeological science”, - says David Jennings, CEO of York Archeology.
Microplastics change the chemical composition of the soil, accelerating the decomposition of organic matter. This could deprive scientists of valuable artifacts and information about the past.
Archaeologists will have to look for new methods to protect archaeological sites from the effects of various synthetic substances, including plastic waste.