The Effect of Microplastics on Human Health
In today’s highly functioning society, people continuously strive for maximum efficiency in all that they do. Whether ordering food on the go or multitasking, there comes a feeling of pride for saving an extra minute to be more productive. The mass production of products allowed for maximum proficiency around the world. It is very inexpensive, water-resistant, durable, and can be molded into virtually anything. The excitement from this discovery glazed over any concern for the aftermath of such a creation. In 2023, humanity is facing the disastrous impact this material has had on the planet. A patch of plastic twice the size of the state of Texas is currently floating on the Pacific ocean. Although a Google search will indicate that plastic takes 20 to 500 years to decompose, it never fully does so. Instead, it continues to break down into smaller and smaller pieces of microplastics. This means that any and all plastic produced since the 1950s is still here. Not only is the mass amount of plastic destroying the environment, it makes its way into the human body creating a potential for catastrophic damage.
Pieces of plastic are often broken down into smaller pieces called microplastics, which are measured less than five millimeters across. There are currently 51 trillion pieces of microplastics floating in the ocean. Ecosystems and wildlife are heavily affected by microplastics with many fish and various creatures inevitably ingesting these microplastics. Evidence has shown that these particles are found in many forms of seafood, specifically, mussels. Microplastics not only impact the environment, but lead to detrimental consequences in human health as well. Although the full extent of these effects on human health are unknown, studies have shown that microplastics act as hormone disruptors, increase risks of chronic diseases such as cancer, and can cause inflammation that leads to weakened immunity. People who often enjoy mussels could potentially be consuming up to 11,000 pieces of microplastics per year. Other than seafood, this contamination can be found in drinking and tap water, dermatologic products, plastic water bottles, and much more. The routes of microplastic exposure to humans may be through inhalation, direct contact, or ingestion. Studies have estimated that the average person consumes a staggering amount of 50,000 particles of microplastics per year from food alone.
Microplastics can impact a plethora of systems within the human such as the endocrine, respiratory, digestive, or reproductive. Through ingestion, individuals may take in larger plastic particles that may result in irritation in the digestive tract as well as inflammation which can lead to a multitude of symptoms. Additionally, these particles may also cause further issues in the gastrointestinal tract such as damage to the microbiomes within this system that lead to symptoms such as, but not limited to, bloating and abdominal pain. Furthermore, microplastics can act as endocrine disruptors resulting in the inhibition of hormone production, release, metabolization, and much more. This can lead to a vast array of consequences such as the development of endocrine, reproductive, developmental, and metabolic disorders. An example of this is infertility or miscarriages in women. These small particles have become so integrated in our foods and daily consumption that they have even been found in the umbilical cords of some pregnant women. Moreover, microplastics can even be inhaled with studies showing the damaging effects this may cause. This may entail oxidative stress and a wide range of respiratory symptoms like shortness of breath or coughing. Not only are these microplastics causing mere symptoms, but they become embedded in the human body and cells with some studies showing these particles in the mitochondria of cells.
As elucidated throughout the article, microplastics have long lasting effects on human health and with the continuous production of plastic, microplastics will continue to find their way into the body. This continues to highlight the importance of plastic reduction around the world and dire need for alternative sustainable solutions. Take initiative today and avoid excess and careless uses of plastic. Every person contributes to this issue, so everyone has to take part in the solution.
