Microplastics are nothing more than just tiny little pieces of plastic. You scratch your bumper and tiny particles from it go down the raindrain. Of course, most microplastic pollution is associated with our garbage, especially single use plastics. And it is not just an environmental issue – scientists say that microplastics are definitely harmful to human cells.
Microplastics are everywhere and they do find their way into the human body. Image credit: Raceforwater via Wikimedia (CC-BY SA 4.0)
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A new study, led by researchers at the Hull York Medical School and the University of Hull, compared the concentrations of microplastics that affected cell viability to the concentrations that humans are exposed to by ingesting contaminated food and water Scientists analysed three previous studies, which focused on microplastic contamination of drinking water, seafood and table salt. Don’t be surprised – there is a lot of plastic in our food. Seafood? Full of plastic, because we contaminated our oceans so much. Drinking water? Well, rain washes everything down, but also our packages are plastic.
Researchers compared doses of microplastics we ingest to those that are damaging to human cells. They found that we are ingesting microplastics at the levels consistent with harmful effects on cells. And that cell damage definitely leads to many different health conditions, including cancer. Scientists say that the damage plastics create cannot be defined by the type of plastic alone. In fact, the shape of the particles of microplastics may be more important.
Evangelos Danopoulos, lead author of the study, said: “Our analysis of the data showed that cell viability depends on the shape of the microplastics. Irregularly shaped microplastics, which are the majority found in the environment, are more hazardous than spherical.”
Studies included in this research found that microplastics can have a huge effect on human cells. Microplastics can evoke cell death, trigger strong immune responses, and affect cell membranes. And scientists say that they can see allergic reactions and other effects as potential effects of ingesting or inhaling high levels of microplastics.
Microplastics are just plastics. We need to fight plastic pollution with more rigour and aggressiveness. We cannot be poisoned by our own plastic for longer. Understanding of the problem and how it affects us may help wake some people up about the dangers of plastic pollution. So far there haven’t been any studies analysing the effects of microplastics after they’ve been ingested. Furthermore, most studies focused on spherical microplastic particles – this is a highly limited approach, which prevents us from seeing the entire picture. This is not just an environmental issue – it is also a problem of public health and safety.
Source: University of York