Humans often throw plastic waste and waste in rivers and the sea. This irresponsible action will ultimately endanger the human body that consumes fish and sea animals that live in these waters. The food web system will help you understand it.
Food webs are the link between one food chain and other food chains in an ecosystem. The food chain itself consists of one living being that consumes another living creature. Therefore, a living creature can eat more than one type of food and living things can be eaten by more than one other living creature, so the food webs are formed.
If there is an imbalance or disruption in the food web system, there will be a health impact for all creatures involved in it, including humans.
Stages of Food Webs
An example of a simple food web phase that originated in plants can be compared to the following:
- Plants use sunlight to form seeds, leaves and fruit.
- Plants, for example grass, are then consumed by cattle as herbivores or first-degree consumers.
- The cow is then consumed by humans as tier 2 consumers or carnivores or top consumers.
- The dead human body is described by worms and other bacteria which are then used by plants to develop.
These food webs are also found in the sea, in fish which initially consume plankton, then are consumed by humans. However, new problems arise when the waters are polluted. This makes the fish you consume will be contaminated by waste in the ocean or river.
Seafood nets and hazardous chemicals
Combining the consumption of fish and sea animals is needed to meet the needs of protein, vitamins, minerals, and good fats such as omega-3. But after understanding the food webs, we come to understand that what is consumed by animals will enter the body when you consume it. If animals eat food or live in a polluted environment, the toxins they get will also enter the human body.
Pollutants generally are chemicals that do not dissolve human waste. Once released into nature, this material will accumulate in food webs, causing disruption in all living creatures that consume, including humans.
These pollutants will usually continue to live in the bodies of marine animals, until finally consumed by humans. One example is mercury. Most of the mercury found in fish can actually be tolerated by the body. However, some fish and marine animals can contain high levels of mercury. At this high level, children and pregnant women become the group most at risk of negative effects.
High levels of mercury can cause damage to the brain and fetal nervous system. When humans consume contaminated fish, the mercury will also be absorbed into the body and cause interference at high doses. Over time, this mercury will exit the body through urine and feces.
Reducing the Risk of Mercury Poisoning
If you don't know for sure whether the fish or sea animals consumed are truly free of mercury and other contaminants, it's a good idea to take the following steps:
- Limit consumption of marine animals, especially when you are pregnant.
- Avoid fishing for consumption in areas that are at risk of mercury exposure.
- Be careful when consuming fish. Be sure to eat fish taken from a clean environment so that you are sure that the fish served is free of mercury.
- Wash your hands with soap immediately if you feel mercury.
- Routinely do a blood test to find out the levels of mercury in the body.
In addition to mercury, you also need to be aware of pesticide contamination that can contaminate freshwater fish around agricultural land. In addition, there are also other pollutants that are widely available in the waters, namely bisphenol A (BPA). Bisphenol A itself is one of the basic ingredients of plastic makers.
Over time, plastic waste will reach the sea and be degraded into smaller pieces (microplastic). As a result, this microplastic can be absorbed and accumulated in the body of marine animals. If these sea animals are consumed by humans, then microplastic particles are believed to affect the performance of organs in the body, such as the liver, kidneys, and intestines.
The direct health impact on humans still needs to be further investigated. But to reduce the risk, you are advised to be careful in consuming food sources that are contaminated, make sure the food you consume comes from a clean and pollution-free environment.
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