A new study concludes that cobwebs are receptors for microplastics and other air pollutants because these particles stick to the web woven by arachnids, reports Science Alert.
To conduct the research, student researcher Rebecca Süssmuth from the Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg, Germany, collected cobwebs two meters above the ground at a bus stop in the city of Oldenburg.
After analyzing them in the lab, he verified the presence of different types of microplastics stuck to the strands.
90% of the microplastics were variations of polyethylene terephthalate, a common polymer likely derived from textile fibers. They also discovered particles of C-PVC, a PVC homopolymer said to come from the paint used for road markings, explains the study published by the journal Science Direct.
They also found finely ground tire wear particles in the bridge, which break off from the outside of the wheel when braking and accelerating. Although tire rubber is not plastic, it falls under the pollutant definition as it is a synthetic product.
In this way, the cobwebs showed their effectiveness as natural traps, allowing to monitor the level of pollution of some particles present in the air in a simple and cheap way. In addition, it is a very practical method that has already been used by scientists for various environmental tests.