The growing awareness of the amount of microplastics found in our environment has led to concern about their impact on human health, especially due to routine ingestion.
Now, a new study has taken the first step to determine the impact microplastics may have on our bodies.
What’s going on?
Spreeropen shares a study, published in the journal Microplastics and Nanoplastics, which looked at the oral toxicity of microplastics, especially polyamide microplastics.
Previous research on the effects of imported microplastics has been limited to studying polystyrene beads, which do not represent the size of microplastics.
As the study explained in its Abstract: “There is a limited disapproval of in vivo studies investigating the human risk of microplastics by the OECD test guidelines.”
To study the possible effects of ingestion, researchers fed mice microplastics for 28 days. The results showed that no significant toxicity occurred in the rats at the end of the test period.
While it is good news that the serious side effects of microplastic ingestion are limited, the study documented subtle but important changes in the formation of inflammatory markers. These findings suggest that long-term exposure to microplastics can have lasting effects.
The findings are that the physicochemical properties of polyamide influence the way it is distributed in the body after absorption, with less accumulation in organs such as the liver.
That raises the question of whether microplastics can increase the health risks of environmental toxins or chemical additives.
Why is this found in relation to?
As research suggests, microplastics are now found in almost everything we come in contact with, including our water, soil and food, due to plastic pollution.
We are at constant risk of ingesting microplastics, which can remain in our bodies forever, so the research conclusions provide new insight into the health risks of microplastics.
Previous research has shown the effect of microplastics in the human body has linked microplastics to many health issues, including dementia, weight loss, reduced appetite, and an increased risk of heart disease.
If this study is supported by more research, then microplastics in the body can also increase other toxins, increasing the risk of additional health problems, although more research is needed on this issue.
What is done with plastic waste?
World governments and organizations continue to take steps to reduce plastic waste, from creating sustainable product placements to dedicated international agreements designed to reduce plastic use.
People can help protect themselves from testing for microplastics by using water filters designed to filter out microplastics and reduce the amount of plastic they use and throw away.
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