2019 GS Paper I, all questions

UPSC Prelims 2019 · GS Paper I

Question 30: Environment and Ecology

Why is there a great concern about the ‘microbeads’ that are released into environment?

aThey are considered harmful to marine ecosystems.
bThey are considered to cause skin cancer in children.
cThey are small enough to be absorbed by crop plants in irrigated fields.
dThey are often found to be used as food adulterants.

AnswerUPSC’s answer is (a).

Microbeads are tiny plastic particles added to face washes, scrubs and toothpaste. They are too small to be filtered out by treatment plants, so they reach rivers and seas, where marine organisms swallow them and toxic chemicals can travel up the food chain. The concern is therefore harm to marine ecosystems. Skin cancer in children, uptake by crop plants and use as food adulterants are not the established concern.

Why each option is right or wrong
  • (a) Correct: microbeads harm marine ecosystems.
  • (b) Skin cancer in children is not the established concern.
  • (c) Crop plants do not absorb microbeads as the concern.
  • (d) Microbeads are not food adulterants.

Answer: UPSC’s key. Explanation: written by UPSC Grade, not by UPSC.

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Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2019, General Studies Paper I, Series A. The paper on upsc.gov.in.