Humans may be inhaling about 16.2 bits of microplastic every hour, which over a week corresponds to the amount of plastic used to make a credit card, a new study has found. The study published in the journal Physics of Fluids also states that microplastic inhalation causes serious health hazards since these particles can get lodged in the airways.
Microplastics are tiny particles of plastic (less than five millimetres long) that are generated either from degradation of larger pieces of plastic or from manufactured plastic products. They enter the human body through water, food and inhalation.
Microplastic inhalation: A rising concern
The study that explored how microplastics affect the human respiratory system using a computational fluid dynamics model points out that inhaling microplastics as well as the toxic pollutants and chemicals they contain can pose serious health risks.
“Millions of tons of these microplastic particles have been found in water, air and soil. Global microplastic production is surging, and the density of microplastics in the air is increasing significantly,” said the author of the study Mohammad S Islam, researcher, School of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, Australia, in a statement issued on June 13, 2023.
“Studies found microplastics deep in human airways for the first time in 2022, which raises concern for serious respiratory health hazards.”
Perils of inhaling microplastics
A 2022 study found microplastics deep inside the human lungs. Another study published in the same year found plastic particles in human blood. According to previous studies, microplastics reach the airways after inhalation, and while the bigger particles get deposited in the upper airways, the smaller ones with a lower density have a higher probability of reaching the deeper layers.
The latest study revealed that microplastics tend to get deposited in the nasal cavity and the back of the throat. It was also found that an increased rate of breathing led to a lesser deposition of microplastics in the respiratory system.
“This study emphasises the need for greater awareness regarding the presence and potential health impacts of microplastics in the air that we breathe,” said another author of the research Prof YuanTong Gu, Faculty of Engineering, School of Mechanical, Medical & Process Engineering, Queensland University of Technology, Australia, in a statement.
Microplastics in humans: Further research required
According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), microplastics can endanger human health through open burning of plastic waste and ingestion of contaminated seafood, among others. It further points out that food sources of microplastics include sugar, salt, drinking water, fish, honey, beer and packaged foods.
Dr Naveen Dutt, additional professor, pulmonary medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Jodhpur, says while it’s known that microplastics present in the air can pose health risks, there are no precise studies to show what kind of harm they can cause. “We suspect that besides causing lung cancers, inhaling microplastics could potentially cause and exacerbate the severity of asthma. It could also exacerbate lung infections. However, further research needs to be done to understand the effects of microplastics on human health,” says Dr Dutt.
While the full effects of microplastic inhalation on human health are yet to be explored, a study pointed out that it can cause damage to human cells at the laboratory level.
“What people can do is ensure that they minimise the use of plastics in their everyday lives, thereby reducing plastic waste and the overall level of microplastics in the environment,” says Dr Dutt.
Takeaways
- A new study has found that an average human may be inhaling about 16.2 bits of microplastic every hour, which over a week corresponds to the amount of plastic used to make a credit card.
- The study also revealed that microplastics tend to get deposited in the nasal cavity and the back of the throat.
- Further research is required to understand the effects of microplastics on human health.
