Disturbing research reveals that babies have 10-15 times more microplastics in their body than adults.
Microplastics are used in a variety of industries, including cosmetics, biotechnology, laundry products, and capsule medicines. But they can also be created when plastic objects break down. Microplastics can also come from something as simple as washing synthetic clothes in the faucet.
Researchers believe that the way babies are consuming such high levels of microplastics is through toys and by crawling on carpets that contain microplastics. The team from New York University School of Medicine looked for two common types of microplastics, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polycarbonate (PC). To find PET and PC, they examined microplastic levels in fecal samples from 10 adults and six infants.
In all samples they found at least one type of microplastic, but when comparing baby samples with adults, the researchers found at least 10 times more.
Why is microplastics a problem? Unfortunately, researchers are still unclear what exactly are the effects of microplastics on human health.
Scientists believed that microplastics pass safely through the gastrointestinal tract. But recent research suggests that smaller particles are able to cross cell membranes and enter our bloodstream.
This is troubling because research on microplastics in laboratory animals has caused cell death, inflammation, and metabolic disorders.
Sources: Euronews, Mother Jones
