Thousands of microplastics that can penetrate deep into the lungs are in the air you breathe in your home or in your car, new research has discovered.
A study published Wednesday in Journal Plos One found that the particles could be the result of degradation of plastic-filled objects such as carpets, curtains, furniture, textiles and plastic parts in car interiors.
“People spend an average of 90% indoors, whether at home, at work, at shops, or in transportation.
“Microplastics in the air, especially indoors, may be an invisible threat that we’re just beginning to understand.”
Sonke is the research director of the National Centre for Science and Research, belonging to the University of Toulouse, France. Yakovenko is a postdoctoral researcher in environmental and geoscience at the university.
“Though research is still ongoing, there are concerns that long-term exposure to microplastics and their additives could contribute to respiratory problems, disrupt endocrine function and increase the risk of neurodevelopmental disorders, reproductive birth disorders, infertility, cardiovascular disease and cancer,” the two said.
This study found that adults could inhal 68,000 microplastic particles, ranging from indoor air, ranging from 1 to 10 micrometers per day. This is an estimate of 100 times higher than expected, according to Sonke and his team.
In comparison, red blood cells range from 6.2 to 8.2 micrometers, while E. coli bacteria are 1 to 2 micrometers in length.
“This adds to the body of knowledge that microplastics are everywhere and enters humans in every way,” said Shelley “Sam” Mason, a microplastics researcher who is director of Project Nepse at Ganon University in Ellie, Pennsylvania., in an email. She was not involved in this study. (Neptwne stands for Nano & Polymer Technology for Water and Neural-Networks.)
Scientists have detected microplastics in human testes and penis, human blood, lung and liver tissue, urine and feces, breast milk and placenta. A study in February found microplastics that are almost worth the spoon in human brain tissue. A March 2024 survey found that people with carotid tissue microplastics are twice as likely to suffer a heart attack, stroke or death over the next three years than those who had nothing.
“The size of these particles is particularly concerning because smaller particles have a greater impact on human health,” says Mason, one of the first scientists to measure microplastics in bottled water.
Kimberly Wise White, Vice President of Regulation and Science Affairs at the American Council of Chemistry. plastic The industry has expressed concern about the research methodology.
“The study is based on a very small sample size, and acknowledges a contamination rate of 18%, raising questions about the accuracy of the findings,” White said in an email. “Additional work using validated methods and standardized exposure assumptions is essential before we can conclude on potential health effects.”
To conduct the investigation, Sonke and his team took indoor air samples from their apartments and while driving between French cities. In the US, the AAA Road Safety Statistics Foundation shows that in 2023 the average American spent about 60 minutes a day in a car.
Car cabins are small enclosed spaces filled with plastic-based materials such as dashboards, steering wheels, door handles, seat fabrics, carpets, carpets and carpet liners, making them an important source of microplastic exposure.
“These materials can flow small plastic particles over time, especially through solar radiation, friction, heat and daily use,” they said. “Unlike homes, car cabins often have limited ventilation, allowing microplastic particles to accumulate and concentrate in the air, which allows them to inhale in large quantities during normal commutes or long drives.”
Tests found 2,238 microplastic particles per cubic meter of air inside the car. This is well beyond the 528 particles found in a similar amount of air from the interior home.
“We often link plastic pollution to the oceans and industrial areas,” Sonke and Yakovenko said.
To measure plastic concentration, the team used a Raman microscope. This is a new and powerful technique that can measure up to about 1 micrometer. This technique is different from the ones that are applied. Previous studies using methods that can only measure large particles up to 20 micrometers, they said.
“Their analysis is healthy,” said Wei Min, a professor of chemistry at Columbia University in New York City. He was not involved in the research.
“They used commercial supplies, but the detection limits are at their best (about 1 micrometer),” Min said in an email. “This allows them to capture (1-10) Micrometer populations remained largely undetectable in previous studies of indoor air. ”
However, this study did not allow measurement of smaller particles, called nanoformers. Nanoplastics were measured in nanometers rather than micrometers. It takes 1,000 nanometers to make one micrometer. By comparison, the average human hair is about 80,000-100,000 nanometers in diameter.
“The current research provides important information, but it also speaks to the need for technological advancements to assess even smaller polymer particles, both in the air and in our bodies,” says Matthew Campen, a microplastics researcher who is a professor of pharmaceutical science and professor of pharmaceutical science at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque.
Nanoplastics are the most concerned plastic pollution for human health, experts say. This is because very small particles can invade individual cells and tissues of major organs, interfere with cellular processes and deposit endocrine decay chemicals such as bisphenols, phthalates, flamethrowers, perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAs, and double stars.
According to experts, there are many steps individuals can take to reduce exposure to plastic and plastic footprints. In February, CNN spoke with Dr. Philip Randrigan, lead author of the March 2023 report on Plastics and Human Health, a global consortium of scientists, healthcare professionals and policy analysts.
The report states that plastics, as determined by the consortium, are linked to harm to human health at every stage of the plastic’s lifecycle.
“I tell people, ‘There are some plastics you can’t get away with, you won’t get a cell phone or a plastic-free computer.” But try to minimize exposure to plastics that you can avoid, especially single-use plastics,” says Landrigan, a professor of biology. He directs the Global Public Health on Planetary Safety at Boston College, as well as the Common Interest and Global Observatory Program.
Landrigans are ubiquitous, so it is difficult to avoid food wrapped in plastic films, but you can remove food from plastic packaging before cooking or putting it in the microwave.
“When you heat plastic, it accelerates the movement of microplastics from packaging into food,” he said.
They will invest in zippered fabric bags and ask dry cleaners to return their clothes instead of thin sheets of plastic, suggests the Natural Resources Defense Council, an environmental advocacy group. Bring your travel mug to your local coffee store, bring takeaway and silverware to your office, and cut down on plastic cups and cooking utensils.
“When you go shopping, don’t use plastic bags. Use cloth bags, paper bags and recycled bags,” Landrigan said. “If you can probably do that, try to avoid plastic water bottles.”
a Survey for January 2024 One liter of bottled water was found, equivalent to two standard size bottled water that consumers normally buy, but it contained an average of 240,000 plastic particles from seven different types of plastic. About 90% of them were nanoplastics.
“Use metal or glass drinks instead of plastic cups. Store food in a glass container, not a plastic one,” Landrigan says. “We’re working to ban plastic bags in your community, as many communities in the US do now. There’s so much you can do.”
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