塑膠污染太可怕 海鹽驗出塑膠微粒
The scale of the world’s current microplastics pollution problem cannot be overstated.
世界目前塑膠微粒污染問題的嚴重程度再強調也不為過。
overstate(v.)把…講得太過分;誇大=exaggeratecannot…over再…也不為過=cannot..too…=cannot…enough
Each year, humans dump 13 million metric tons of plastic into the ocean.
每年有1300萬公噸的塑膠被傾倒進海洋裡。
Some of that plastic begins its life as tiny particles, such as microbeads found in face scrubs and toothpaste; others as larger pieces that are broken down through mechanical or chemical means.
這些塑膠之中有些被製造出來時就是微小的顆粒，像是臉部去角質產品和牙膏裡的柔珠，其它則是體積較大的塑膠片，經過機械或化學方法分解而成。
particle(n.)微粒、粒子means(n.)(單複同型)方法;手段
Previous studies have found that microplastics have entered the food chain through tiny marine organisms.
之前的研究曾發現塑膠微粒已透過小型的海洋生物進入食物鏈。
food chain食物鏈marine organisms海洋生物
Now, more and more studies have shown that the reach of plastic contamination is beyond fish.
現在有越來越多的研究顯示，塑膠污染的範圍不只侷限於魚。
In a recent study, researchers at the State University of New York at Fredonia and the University of Minnesota examined 12 different kinds of salt, including 10 kinds of sea salt, brought from US grocery stores.
在一項最近的研究中，美國紐約州立大學弗雷多尼爾分校和明尼蘇達大學的研究者檢驗了購自美國食品雜貨店12種不同的鹽，其中包括10種海鹽。
They found that Americans could be ingesting up to 660 particles of plastic each year if they follow the health guideline to eat 2.3 grams of salt per day.
他們發現，如果按照健康指南每天食用2.3克的鹽，美國人每年會吃進多達660顆塑膠微粒。
ingest(v.)= 攝取、嚥下(食物)=take in~=consumeguideline(n.)指導方針;準則
Yet Americans could consume far more, as 90% of them take in too much salt.
然而，美國人吃進的塑膠微粒遠超過這個數字，因為90％的美國人攝取的食鹽過量。
yet(adv.)然而=nevertheless
The researchers could not ascertain the impact of plastic on the human body, as it is impossible to find a control group of humans who have not been exposed to salt.
研究者還無法確定塑膠微粒對人體造成的影響，因為無法找到沒有接觸過食鹽的人當對照組。
ascertain(v.) 弄清、確定、查明=find out sth. for certainbe exposed to~暴露於…之下;接觸到
While some scientists have argued the concentration of the particles found in sea salt and sea food today is low enough that it likely will not affect our health, that may not be the case as more plastic continues to be dumped in the ocean.
雖然有些科學家主張目前在海鹽和海鮮裡發現的塑膠微粒濃度過低，不足以影響到我們的健康，如果有更多的塑膠繼續被倒入海洋內，可能就不是那麼回事了。
while(conj.)雖然=thoughconcentration(n.)濃度not the case不是那樣、不是那麼回事
“We have to focus on the flow of plastic and the pervasiveness of plastics in our society and find other materials to be using instead,” said Sherri Mason, the lead author of the latest research into plastic contamination in salt.
這項關於海鹽塑膠污染的最新研究的主要作者雪莉梅森說：「我們必須聚焦在我們社會中塑膠的流向和塑膠製品充斥各處的現象，並找其他的材料當替代品。」
pervasive(adj.)充斥各處的;瀰漫的;遍佈的=prevalentpervasiveness(n.)充斥各處、普遍存在