Microplastics: An Invisible Threat to Human Health

Plastics, which is known for its durability, stability, and affordability, has become a primary environmental concern in recent years. This pervasive nature of plastic has led to its entry in the human body, posing a threat to human health.

With more than 400 million tons of plastic produced each year globally, the plastic still remains a choice for industries such as food packaging, cosmetics, utensils, etc. Most of the plastic waste ends up in dump yards and water bodies.

Humans Eat 52,000 Plastic Pieces Every Year
Humans eat and breathe around tens of thousands of microplastic particles each year, according to a new study which raised fresh questions over how plastic waste could directly affect our health.

‘Other than the food chain, constant day-to-day contact with plastic products may allow oral, dermal, and inhalation exposure to micro-plastics and additive chemicals to the human body.’
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While macro-plastics remains a visible problem, micro-plastics, nano-plastics are emerging as a more serious health hazard due to their invisible nature.

“Other than the food chain, regular contact with day-to-day life plastic products allows oral, dermal, and inhalation exposure to micro-plastics, additive chemicals to the human body. Hence, it is necessary to determine the interactions between the micro-plastics and biological macromolecules to understand their effects on human health,” says Prof. Natarajan Chandrasekaran, Professor at Vellore Institute of Technology.

While several studies have shown adverse effects of plastics on the human body, researchers are now trying to learn how the basic machinery of the body communicates with plastic particles.

Microplastics Polluting Everything Cause Concern
Tiny fibers present in synthetic fibers such as nylon could be creating unseen plastic pollution, finds a new study. These fibers are contributing to microplastics load in the environment.

In a new study, Prof. Chandrasekaran and his colleagues have looked at the interaction of nano plastics with blood proteins and cells, illustrating their harmful effects on human health and found that aggregated plastic-protein complex is more lethal and potent in causing the death of white and red blood cells than the nano-plastic alone.

The findings of the study are published in the journal Scientific Reports.//

Microplastics Contamination In Bottled Water Not Alarming
Contamination of microplastic or microfibre in bottle water is not alarming, said the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).

Source-Medindia

Use Plastic Responsibly - Save the Earth from Microplastic Contamination
Formation of microplastic due to plastic degradation poses a huge threat to humans and the environment. Recently, new methods have been developed to identify and quantify microplastic to better understand their effects.