A new study reveals the presence of microplastics in the human body.
What’s going on?
The researchers found all kinds of tiny particles in urine samples from healthy participants and those with endometriosis, a chronic disease in which endometrial tissue grows outside the uterus. The study was published on April 1. in Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety.
The amounts of microplastics in each group did not differ significantly, but the types of microplastics did.
Samples from healthy participants were predominantly 27% polyethylene, while samples from participants with endometriosis were predominantly polytetrafluoroethylene (59%). Healthy samples also contained polystyrene (16%), resin (12%) and polypropylene (12%). According to the study, polyethylene made up 16% of the microplastics found in samples from participants with endometriosis.
A second set of samples was taken from metal catheters of people with endometriosis, and the microplastics were “significantly smaller” at around 32 x 22 micrometres. Otherwise, the average size was 177 x 117 micrometers—a micrometer being 0.001 millimeters.
“Microplastics are found in all environments, in the human food chain, and have recently been detected in several human tissues,” the authors noted.
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Why is this important?
Endometriosis is unknown, so the researchers investigated whether microplastic levels correlate with the disease by causing inflammation or leaching chemicals into the body.
“This raises important new questions about their transport around the body and how they passed or bypassed the renal glomerular filtration system, which appears to be too large to navigate in such organs, as well as the potential biological effects of their presence,” the authors wrote.
The size and shape of microplastics was also an issue as the researchers studied how they move through the human body, noting that the pollutants were “theoretically too large to navigate the tiny capillary networks of the kidneys to reach the bladder.”
This study provided “the first evidence of microplastic contamination in human urine by characterizing polymers and evaluating procedural blanks,” although the paper noted that the effects of microplastics on humans are unknown. “However, there is emerging evidence that high MP levels are associated with inflammatory disorders, particularly bowel disease,” the study states.
The authors also wrote that previous cell exposure experiments have shown that irregularly shaped microplastics are particularly toxic, noting that “inflammation and oxidative stress-type effects” may similarly affect people with endometriosis.
Other studies have shown that microplastics can increase the risk of cancer and Alzheimer’s disease and cause fertility problems, The Washington Post reported. The effects may also worsen with age.
What can be done?
With only around 9% of plastic being recycled worldwide and more plastic being produced every day, it is important for businesses to break their dependence on plastic. It may be difficult for consumers to avoid plastic packaging otherwise, but you can, for example, switch to soap and washing powder, buy a reusable water bottle and support plastic-free brands.
Advances in technology could also help remove microplastics from drinking water, and recent research suggests that certain products can reduce their impact on the human body.
By turning these small steps into a shared journey, we can create a safer, cleaner future.
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