Another alarming discovery about the potential problems of plastic pollution ended with researchers issuing a warning about medical care for pregnant people.
What's happening?
Scientists have shown that microplastics — fragments up to 5 millimeters long (less than 0.2 inches) — can cross the blood-brain barrier, and the toxins pollute even far corners of Earth, as well as the most vital parts of our bodies. A new study revealed that nanoplastics can escape through blood vessel walls and accumulate at high levels in developing hearts, livers, and kidneys, as Phys.org reported.
A team led by Leiden University biologist Meiru Wang injected chicken embryos with europium- or fluorescence-tagged polystyrene nanoplastics, which were either 150 nanometers (0.00015 mm) or 1 micrometer (0.001 mm) to mimic the size range of nanoplastics in the environment. In addition to the aforementioned findings, it discovered that some of the particles were excreted through the kidneys.
The authors also said that a previous study that showed nanoplastics caused cardiac defects in chicken embryos by damaging the neural crest may have come to at least an incomplete conclusion and that damage to the heart's cushion tissues could play a role.
"During an earlier study, we discovered that a high concentration of nanoplastics can cause malformations in the heart, eyes, and nervous systems of chicken embryos," Wang said in a release by Leiden University, per Phys.org. "But for a more complete understanding of the toxicity of nanoplastics, we first need more information about how they spread from the blood throughout the rest of the body."
Why is this important?
Now that these scientists have tracked the movement of nanoplastics, they can investigate the health risks, Wang said, noting the material has been linked to an increased risk of heart attack and stroke.
The ubiquity of plastic pollution and ever-rising production are also cause for concern, as micro- and nanoplastics are shed from larger pieces of the petroleum-based products. Each year, 40% of the plastic made is single-use plastic to be discarded, and the industry manufactured 448 million tons of the stuff in 2015; that figure was 2.3 million tons in 1950 and is expected to double by 2050, according to National Geographic.
The growing repository of dire news about plastics' harms to human health, wildlife, and the natural world is also nightmare fuel.
"Especially during the developmental stage, nanoparticles could potentially be quite dangerous," Wang said, per Phys.org.
"Because of our results, we now understand that we shouldn't administer nanomedicines to pregnant women indiscriminately, as there is a risk that nanoparticles could reach and affect the developing organs of their babies."
What's being done about plastic pollution?
It may be unavoidable to encounter plastic in our everyday lives, but we can make small changes that add up to big differences in protecting ourselves. Support plastic-free brands and swap out single-use water bottles for a reusable one. You can also buy powdered detergents and wool dryer balls to help keep plastics from infiltrating our oceans and your clothing.
Even sidestepping plastic food packaging is helpful since you can ingest particles when those containers are heated or filled with hot food.
Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the latest innovations improving our lives and shaping our future, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Cool Picks
