Researchers raise concerns after experiment feeding microplastics to flies suggests troubling health consequences: 'A comprehensive threat'

A new study involving fruit flies suggests that microplastic exposure is a significant threat that could shorten the lifespans of organisms. 

What's happening?

A writeup by Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology (SIAT) in Medical Xpress details how the team from SIAT — part of the Chinese Academy of Sciences — fed fruit flies diets containing various microplastic concentrations. The microplastic feedings occurred during different developmental stages, ranging from two days to 10 weeks. 

Ultimately, researchers connected the microplastic exposure to a range of health consequences, including intestinal damage, reduced ovary size, disrupted sleep cycles, and a shorter lifespan. 

"Our research indicates that microplastics pose a comprehensive threat to the health and longevity of organisms, extending far beyond the previously understood organ-specific effects," research team leads Professor Li Lei and Prof. Liu Chang said in Medical Xpress. 

The findings were published in the journal Zoological Research. 

Why is this concerning?

As the SIAT analysis points out, microplastics, which are at a maximum 5 millimeters in length, are found all over the planet, as the Earth is polluted with more than 5 billion tons of plastic. That number is growing, too, with an estimated 400 million tons produced annually. 

And while a diet of microplastics surely isn't part of anyone's menu planning outside of the laboratory, research from the University of Newcastle found that people are nonetheless ingesting around a credit card's worth of every week on average. 

In addition to being found in deep ocean waters and on high mountain peaks, microplastics have been detected in the lungs of living people and in human blood and reproductive organs. Other studies have linked the particles to fertility issues, cancer, and dementia. 

What can be done about this?

Without intervention, plastics take anywhere from tens to hundreds of years to break down. Professor Li believes that the fruit fly analysis underscores how crucial it is for the world to actively address the growing problem of microplastic pollution, according to Medical Xpress. 

Happily, there have been promising developments on that front. For example, researchers from the Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research discovered a marine fungus that appears to naturally break down polyethylene, the most common type of plastic ocean waste.

One teenage duo developed a microplastic filtering method that removed most of the particles from drinking water, and the pair hope to refine and scale up the technology over time. 

You can contribute to a healthier future by using less plastic. Some ways to do this include supporting brands with plastic-free packaging and swapping single-use plastic products — like grocery bags and water bottles —  for reusable options. 

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