New study finds alarming health effects of common airborne particle: 'We are just at the tip of the iceberg'

Microplastics are so pervasive that they can even be found in the air we breathe, and a new study examined the concerning effects they can have on human health.

What's happening?

As explained by Health.com, a review of nearly 3,000 studies that was published in the Environmental Science & Technology journal in December concluded that microplastics can cause harm to people's reproductive, digestive, and respiratory health.

Specifically, the authors of the study "found that there was a suspected link between breathing in microplastics and colon cancer, fertility issues for both men and women, and worsening lung function, raising the risk of lung cancer," per Health.com.

Lead study author Nicholas Chartres, Ph.D., a senior research fellow at the University of Sydney and collaborator at the University of California, San Francisco's Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment, explained that while most of the studies included in the review were done in rodents, the findings are still applicable to humans because they're subject to similar exposure levels as animals.

Mary Johnson, MD, Ph.D., a research scientist in the department of environmental health at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, told Health.com, "We are just at the tip of the iceberg" in trying to understand how wide-ranging the negative health effects from exposure to microplastics can be.

Why is this important?

The Environmental Protection Agency defines microplastics as tiny particles that can range in size from one nanometer to five millimeters, which explains how these harmful materials can become airborne. Health.com noted microplastics are generated from the approximately 507 million tons of plastic produced annually worldwide, and that number is expected to triple by 2060.

Chartres told Health.com that "all people are at risk" for the alarming health effects of microplastics simply because they're impossible to avoid.

In addition to the issues found in the study, microplastics have been linked to other health concerns. According to a team of researchers from Germany and Brazil, microplastics can also alter the brain when inhaled, potentially leading to an increase in cases of neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's and ALS.

What's being done about this?

Chartres told Health.com that he hopes the review serves as a warning for both regulatory bodies and everyday people.

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"We are seeing triple the predicted plastic production in the next 30 years — all that degraded plastics in the environment will be exposed in our air, food, and water," he said.

Chartres also stressed the need for governmental intervention for real change to be possible.

"Ban the use of plastics for nonessential use is one way [to reduce microplastic exposure]," he told Health.com. "Demand that governments examine the data from these studies to [inform] sufficient regulations is another."

You can also reduce your use of plastic in your everyday life by exploring plastic-free alternatives such as reusable water bottles. Every effort can help lead to a safer future for the environment and human health.

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