Study on Global Microplastics Asks Big Questions for Human Health
Description
Shockingly, the research highlights major gaps in understanding how microplastics are impacting humans – even though studies prove humans are ingesting the toxic waste.
A review of global research has been published in the Journal of Contaminant Hydrology, consolidating two decades of health and ecological findings about microplastics.
Lead author and Senior Lecturer in Chemistry at CQUniversity’s College of Science and Sustainability, Dr Shaneel Chandra said the big picture understanding of negative impacts was “overwhelming”.
Impact
Dr Chandra found “Our mega-analysis shows up to 83 per cent of tap water around the globe contains microplastics, and this pollution is even falling with snow in Antarctica, in what should be the most pristine environment in the world,”.
“Microplastics smaller than 10 microns are able to cross cell membranes and enter various systems in the animal body, so we know they’re in our food, and we know from animal studies that build-up of plastics have toxic effects.
“Effects on animals can include stress response, intestinal immune imbalance, colon damage and disturbed microbial and metabolism – but incredibly, there is no data to show constitutes microplastics harm level to humans, or the effects at certain exposure levels.”
Dr Chandra said studies of human cadavers since 2021 have found microplastics in lung tissues, suggesting they could be inhaled.
Researcher
Dr Shaneel Chandra and Professor Kerry Walsh
In Australia, one study has found bottled water contains up to 13 microplastic particles per litre.
“When combined with other pollutants like the fungicide epoxiconazole, polystyrene microplastics have also been known to synergistically damage the intestinal barrier and liver function in humans,” Dr Chandra said.
Last year, the term 'microplastics' was cited in more than 6000 research articles, but Dr Chandra fears scientists are only scratching the surface on the impacts of microplastics.
“We’re seeing that microplastics can bind with pollutants such as heavy metals in the environment, and then bring notorious pollutants into animal and human digestive systems,” he said.
“While processes to remove microplastics from drinking water sources have had some success, the cost and scale of the problem means it’s not happening enough – and as long as we’re still producing plastics and they end up in landfill, the creation of new microplastics will outstrip any remedial action.
“Reducing our reliance of plastic from our lives as much as possible, and its remediation in the environment, must become a global focus – as the science clearly shows, the permeation of microplastics into all environments on earth makes it virtually impossible to evade exposure.”
Dr Chandra wrote the review with CQUniversity Professor Kerry Walsh AM, and he is also working on research identifying 'emerging contaminants of concern' in Queensland wastewater treatment plants.
Read Microplastics in water: Occurrence, fate and removal in the Journal of Contaminant Hydrology.
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