The adverse effects of plastic on aquatic life are well documented. However, no one was aware of the damage plastic does to the immune systems of fish. Patty Zwollo, an immunologist from William & Mary’s Department of Biology discovered that whales often consume microplastic believing it’s food, which is also consumed by their immune system cells and makes them prone to the pathogens. Zwollo’s study focused on the immune systems in salmon and trout and revealed that if an immune cell consumes a large amount of microplastic, the cell will die immediately. She will continue her research on the effect microplastics are having on the immune systems of trout and salmon.
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