However, the extent to which the plastic soup can also be harmful to humans has not been sufficiently researched. The concentration of microplastics in the environment and in the air is increasing exponentially because plastic does not perish but breaks down in small pieces. Plastic is in our food, the water we drink, and the air we breathe. In fact, we are increasingly inhaling, drinking, and eating more and more plastic.
Inhaling plastic
Most of the small plastic particles that we inhale are also exhaled from the body. However, researchers found plastic particles in lung tissue. They are concerned that, when accidentally inhaling plastic, these tiny pieces will penetrate deep into the lungs and remain there because plastic does not decompose. They also fear that above a certain concentration and with prolonged inhalation, the microplastics will lead to inflammation. People in poorer health and young children would be more vulnerable to this. The concentration of plastic fibers in houses appears to be significantly higher than out in the open air. These days there is a lot of plastic in household dust, originating from textiles and carpets. Babies crawling across the floor are likely to breathe in more of these plastic particles. The risk of ingesting microplastics through our food – such as mussels – is minimal compared to the risk of inhaling plastic through our exposure to plastic fibers which settle out of the air during the preparation of a meal.
Microplastics in drinking water
When tap water from cities in five continents was examined, it was found that more than 80% of the samples were contaminated with plastic microfibers. These microplastics in drinking water come from wear and tear of clothing, of car tires, and of synthetic carpets, and can reach the tap water through contamination of local water sources. Microplastics have been found in underground water reservoirs in the United States, coming from domestic wastewater that was not connected to sewage systems. It has been known since 2014 that microplastics have been found in bottled mineral water and beer. 250 one-liter bottles of well-known brands from nine different countries were later examined; on average ten particles were found per bottle. It is almost unavoidable; as we unscrew the plastic cap from a PET bottle, the friction alone releases plastic particles into the water.
Microplastics in our food
We also ingest microplastics while chewing and eating. Microplastics can be found in molluscs such as mussels. A 2018 study of the stools of eight people, each living in a different country, revealed an average of twenty plastic particles per ten grams of poop. There was no poop sample without microplastics. These plastic particles, all between 50 and 500 micrometers in size, are excreted via the faeces. The big question here is to what extent there are even smaller particles left behind in the body. In animals, it has already been demonstrated that the smallest particles can pass through the intestinal wall, enter the tissue and bloodstream and cause inflammatory reactions. We are now investigating whether this is also the case in humans.
For more information about plastic in relation to our health go to our Plastic Health Coalition website.
