Microplastics Found in Our Blood
From cosmetics to the foods we eat, humans are ingesting harmful microplastics at an alarming rate. While the full impact is still unknown, studies show the deteriorating effects on human cells.
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emember that Amazon package you opened last Friday or the Starbucks cup you tossed out at lunch? Yeah, those. Did you know that they are full of microplastics? Well, not yet. While both are made out of plastic, in the end, they will eventually break down into microplastic particles that originate from both the breakdown of larger plastics and commercial products. According to the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric European Chemical Agency, microplastics are tiny fragments of plastic classified as less than 5mm, about the size of a sesame seed. Microplastics are comprised of more than 24.4 trillion particles polluting the environment and harming animals and humans in the process. Microplastics are everywhere and have been a concern for scientists for decades. “Scientists warn that if our plastic production and disposal patterns continue, our oceans could contain more plastic than fish as soon as 2050,” according to EcoWatch writer Linnea Harris in an article titled “10 Simple Ways to Avoid Microplastics in Your Everyday Life,” In theory, plastics can be recycled, a hefty amount continues to end up in places like landfills, watercourses, and in marine ecosystems. While they are tiny in size, these plastic particles stay ubiquitous pollutants that permeate every inch of our planet. So why are they harmful? Derived from petrochemicals extracted from oil and gas products, many of these particles stay toxic due to their carthonegic or muta-
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WORDS by JINLING WANG ART by LUCY WANG
genic chemicals, which harm cell health and heighten cancer risks. Though many are familiar with the disturbing images of turtles and dolphins stuck in soda rings (yokes) or even fishing nets, underneath, there is a less visible effect found. A paper published by Environmental International found plastic in the blood of 17 out of the 22 adults. Following the discovery, a new study developed by researchers found a method for detecting microplastics in human blood. Microparticles of four common
“Scientists warn that if our plastic production and disposal patterns continue, our oceans could contain more plastic than fish as soon as 2050.” - Linnea Harris
Microplastics were found in the 22 healthy participants conducted in the Netherlands. Posing as a huge health risk, a study originating from Germany found that microplastic particles can destabilize lipid membrane barriers that protects cells, which can ultimately lead to cell malfunction. Scientists then detected the plastic additives, which included traces
of bisphenol A (BPA) and phthalates found in urine, that traced to common polymers. While many are still invisible to the eye, there are two common microplastics: primary microplastics and secondary microplastics. In comparison, primary microplastics originate from particles in cosmetics (mascara, foundation, etc.), while secondary comes from the breaking down of more oversized plastic items such as plastic bags, soda bottles, and tea bags. Though much concern continues to surround the effect microplastics have on the marine environments, much of the seafood we consume, like shellfish and fish. The blood samples collected from the healthy adults were then taken anonymously as they sought to find plastics between 700 and 500,000 nanometers (nm). To put that into perspective, The Wire Science’s Aathira Perinchery calculated that seven hundred nm to be equivalent to 140 times smaller than the width of a human hair. Polyethylene terephthalate, or PET, commonly found in disposable water bottles, has now become the most widely encountered plastic polymer after being found in approximately 50 percent of all donors. While the second is polystyrene (PS), which is commonly used for food packaging or foam particles which stay invisible to the eyes. Just last year, when Amazon’s plastic pollution went under scrutiny, a report released by a non-profit advocacy organization in Oceania said that the e-commerce company thefourthestate.net
