Microplastics: The Tiny Toxins Invading Our Food and Bodies

Microplastics: The Tiny Toxins

Do you know that plastics are not only in our surroundings but inside our bodies too, firmly positioned inside our guts, lungs, and even brains? They are present in the form of the tiniest possible particle called microplastics. In the past few years, one small danger has quietly invaded our food, water, and even our organs: microplastics. 

These microplastics are tiny fragments of plastic, smaller than 5 mm in length, but they occur everywhere. From food to liquid, sea salt to strawberries, and from fish to human lungs, microplastics are taking over not only the earth but also our bodies. Our lives flourish in clean and serene environments. If our environment is not clean or if there is contamination around us, it surely negatively impacts our health and well-being. 

So, how did we end up here? And more importantly, how can we guard ourselves?
Let us learn more about microplastics.

What Are Microplastics?

Microplastics are very small fragments of plastic trash in the environment from the disposal and degradation of consumer goods and industrial waste.

 

Those are minute or very small plastic pieces that come from two sources:
1. Primary microplastics—minute plastics that are produced purposely, such as microbeads used in cosmetics or pellets used industrially.
2. Secondary microplastics—the degradation of large plastics such as water bottles, plastic bags, and man-made clothing through sunlight, heat, and friction.
 Although very small, these particles have a massive health and ecological cost. They are highly toxic; researchers have calculated that adults invest the equivalent of one credit card weekly in microplastics. Research on animals and human cells has indicated that exposure to microplastics may be responsible for cancer, heart attacks, reproductive issues, and many other dangers.

How Microplastics Get into Our Food

Microplastics find their way into our food supply from several routes, such as environmental contamination, farming, and even food packaging and cooking. Mussels and oysters, among seafood, become reservoirs for microplastics from contaminated water, and these are subsequently consumed by humans. 

Microplastics can also be transferred into food from plastic packaging, cutlery, and even washing of synthetic fabrics. Here's the terrifying reality: microplastics are part of our diet today.

• Seafood: Fish, mussels, and oysters tend to swallow microplastics suspended in the oceans. When we consume them, particularly whole shellfish, we consume the plastics as well.
• Salt: Several studies have identified microplastics in sea salt, rock salt, and even table salt.
• Bottled water: The WHO states that bottled water has almost double the amount of microplastic particles compared to tap water.
• Vegetables and fruits: New studies indicate that plants can pick up microplastics from polluted water and soil through their roots.
• Milk, honey, and beer have also come back positive for microplastics in certain worldwide research.
• Preparation and Packaging of Food: Plastic food packaging, cutlery, and even non-stick cookware can shed microplastics in food while cooking and preparing.
• Sewage Sludge: Sewage sludge as a fertiliser may carry microplastics that are absorbed by plants and thus pollute the food system.

Where Are Microplastics Found in the Human Body

Microplastics have been found in many parts of the human body, such as the brain, lungs, liver, kidneys, heart, gastrointestinal tract, blood, and even in breast milk. Microplastics have also been identified in the placenta, testicles, and bone marrow by research. That their occurrence is so extensive is what is raising red flags regarding their possible health effects.

This may make you worry (as it should):
• Lungs: Microplastics were discovered in 2022 in living human lungs, most likely absorbed through air pollution and synthetic fabric. 

• Bloodstream: Researchers have identified microplastics in the blood of humans, which confirms these particles circulate within our bodies. 

• Placenta: Unborn babies are even exposed. Microplastics have been found in the placentas of pregnant women.
• Stomach and intestines: All too predictably, our digestive system accumulates the highest load of microplastics. Research puts the average individual at around 5 grams of plastic per week (the equivalent weight of a credit card).

Hazards of Microplastics

Microplastics do not lie idly in our bodies. They pose severe health threats. A recent large-scale review of current literature by researchers at the University of California, San Francisco, determined that microplastic exposure is known to damage reproductive, digestive, and respiratory health and indicated a correlation with colon and lung cancer.

 A current large-scale review of present studies by researchers at the University of California, San Francisco, concluded that microplastic exposure is suspected to damage reproductive, digestive, and respiratory health and indicated an association with colon and lung cancer.
• Toxic substances: Microplastics are known to absorb and harbour toxic chemicals such as heavy metals, BPA, and phthalates, which are recognised hormone disruptors.
• Cell harm: Studies indicate that microplastics can harm human cells and lead to inflammation.
• Immune system disruption: Long-term exposure can disrupt the way our immune system functions, with the possibility of increasing the risk of chronic disease.
• Gut health problems: Microplastics have the potential to upset the balance in gut microbiota, causing digestive issues and even metabolic disease.

Where Are Microplastics Commonly Found At Home

Microplastics are small plastic fragments that are usually present in all parts of the house, such as kitchens, laundry areas, and even in normal household items, such as personal care items and dust. 

Microplastics can be emitted from synthetic clothing, kitchen utensils, and even from cleaning products at home. Here's a quick rundown of where you can mostly find microplastics:

Source	Common Items
Home:	Synthetic clothes, carpets, furniture
Food:	Salt, seafood, produce, and bottled drinks
Environment:	Tap water, air, soil, and oceans
Personal care:	Toothpaste, facial scrubs (microbeads), cosmetics
Packaging:	Plastic wrap, containers, and single-use plastics

How to Stay Safe from Microplastics

To remain Safe from microplastic, avoid using single use plastics. Used particularly for food and drinks, and use metal or glass containers instead. Also, filter tap Water to remove microplastics and use natural fibres for clothes. Avoid seafood intake and microwave plastic use, and hygiene is key to staying safe from exposure. Wet can't totally eliminate microplastics (at last not yet),  but we can limit our exposure:

1. Drink filtered tap water instead of bottled water. Use a carbon or reverse-osmosis filter.
2. Avoid plastic packaging — go for glass, metal, or biodegradable options.
3. Eat fresh, unpackaged foods, and rinse produce well.
4. Stop using products with microbeads — check the ingredient list for "polyethylene" or "polypropylene".
5. Use natural fabrics (like cotton or linen) and avoid synthetic clothes when possible.
6. Vacuum and clean regularly to reduce indoor microplastic fibres.
7. Bans and microplastics and plastic overuse legislation.

Microplastics have evolved from the nebulous concern about the environment to a very real danger within our bodies. Although the long-term health consequences are still under investigation, the proof is unmistakable: less plastic in our lives equals a healthier, safer future.
Small gestures create monumental shifts. Begin with your next grocery shopping, your choice of water bottle, or your laundry routine. It's time to reject the hidden plastic for the Earth and ourselves.