Quantcast
ZME Science
  • News
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Future
  • Space
  • Features
    Menu
    Natural Sciences
    Health
    History & Humanities
    Space & Astronomy
    Technology
    Culture
    Resources
    Natural Sciences

    Physics

    • Matter and Energy
    • Quantum Mechanics
    • Thermodynamics

    Chemistry

    • Periodic Table
    • Applied Chemistry
    • Materials
    • Physical Chemistry

    Biology

    • Anatomy
    • Biochemistry
    • Ecology
    • Genetics
    • Microbiology
    • Plants and Fungi

    Geology and Paleontology

    • Planet Earth
    • Earth Dynamics
    • Rocks and Minerals
    • Volcanoes
    • Dinosaurs
    • Fossils

    Animals

    • Mammals
    • Birds
    • Fish
    • Reptiles
    • Amphibians
    • Invertebrates
    • Pets
    • Conservation
    • Animals Facts

    Climate and Weather

    • Climate Change
    • Weather and Atmosphere

    Geography

    Mathematics

    Health
    • Drugs
    • Diseases and Conditions
    • Human Body
    • Mind and Brain
    • Food and Nutrition
    • Wellness
    History & Humanities
    • Anthropology
    • Archaeology
    • Economics
    • History
    • People
    • Sociology
    Space & Astronomy
    • The Solar System
    • The Sun
    • The Moon
    • Planets
    • Asteroids, Meteors and Comets
    • Astronomy
    • Astrophysics
    • Cosmology
    • Exoplanets and Alien Life
    • Spaceflight and Exploration
    Technology
    • Computer Science & IT
    • Engineering
    • Inventions
    • Sustainability
    • Renewable Energy
    • Green Living
    Culture
    • Culture and Society
    • Bizarre Stories
    • Lifestyle
    • Art and Music
    • Gaming
    • Books
    • Movies and Shows
    Resources
    • How To
    • Science Careers
    • Metascience
    • Fringe Science
    • Science Experiments
    • School and Study
    • Natural Sciences
    • Health
    • History and Humanities
    • Space & Astronomy
    • Culture
    • Technology
    • Resources
  • Reviews
  • More
    • Agriculture
    • Anthropology
    • Biology
    • Chemistry
    • Electronics
    • Geology
    • History
    • Mathematics
    • Nanotechnology
    • Economics
    • Paleontology
    • Physics
    • Psychology
    • Robotics
  • About Us
    • About
    • The Team
    • Advertise
    • Contribute
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact
No Result
View All Result
ZME Science

No Result
View All Result
ZME Science

Home → Environment

Humans are now pooping microplastics

It's the first to show that humans are eating plastic.

Tibi Puiu by Tibi Puiu
October 25, 2018
in Environment, News, Pollution

Credit: Flickr, Oregon State University.
Credit: Flickr, Oregon State University.

Austrian researchers have reported the first evidence that shows microplastics can be found in humans, after detecting them in human stools.

We made them, now we’re eating them

Microplastics are tiny plastic waste, ranging from 5 millimeters down to 100 nanometers in diameter. They’re found in surprisingly many products, particularly in beauty and cleaning products, but are also produced unintentionally through the wear and tear of plastic pollution. Since mass production of plastics began in the 1940s, microplastic contamination of the marine environment has been a growing problem — scientists estimate that about 2-5 % of all plastics produced thusly end up in the seas.

Ultimately, microplastics are absorbed by sea creatures and travel up the food chain where they reach humans. A portion of consumer-grade mussels in Europe could contain about 90 microplastic pieces, according to one study. Consumption can vary greatly between nations and generations, but it seems that avid mussel eaters might eat up to 11,000 microplastics a year. Microplastics have also been found in canned fish, and even in sea salt. One kilogram can contain over 600 microplastics,  meaning if you consume the maximum daily intake of 5 grams of salt, that’s equivalent to ingesting three microplastic particles a day. Even mosquitoes ingest microplastics, which they move up the food chain after being eaten by other animals.

Considering the microplastic prevalence in the food chain (they’re found in tap water, for instance), it’s rather obvious that plastic — the stuff we made and then dumped — would make its way back to humans, in our guts. Now, researchers at the Medical University of Vienna and the Environment Agency Austria are the first to show hard evidence to support this idea.

The pilot study involved eight participants from across the world, including Finland, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Poland, Russia, the UK, and Austria. Stool samples from each person were tested for 10 types of plastics following a newly developed analytical procedure.

In the week preceding the stool sampling, each participant had to fill in a journal where they wrote what had eaten. All the participants consumed foods and beverages that were exposed to plastic, whether it was plastic wrapping or plastic bottles.

Researchers found that each and every one of the participants tested positive for the presence of microplastic and up to nine different plastic types were identified, including polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene-terephthalate (PET). On average, the researchers found 20 microplastic particles per 10 grams of stool.

“This is the first study of its kind and confirms what we have long suspected, that plastics ultimately reach the human gut. Of particular concern is what this means to us, and especially patients with gastrointestinal diseases. While the highest plastic concentrations in animal studies have been found in the gut, the smallest microplastic particles are capable of entering the blood stream, lymphatic system and may even reach the liver. Now that we have first evidence for microplastics inside humans, we need further research to understand what this means for human health,” lead researcher Dr. Philipp Schwabl said in a statement.

We might have to wait thousands of years before bacteria evolve the ability to decompose plastic at high scale. But we really can’t count on that — microplastics represent an important environmental problem right this instant. Major changes have to happen at both the industry and policy level if we want to minimize the amount of microplastic that ends up in the food chain. We’re the ones who made microplastic, so we naturally are also responsible for the damage to the environment that it causes.

Results were presented at the 26th United European Gastroenterology Week in Vienna and have not been peer-reviewed.

Was this helpful?


Thanks for your feedback!

Related posts:
  1. Dogs can sense Earth’s magnetic field… while pooping
  2. If you’re reading this, there’s a good chance you’re pooping wrong
  3. Christmas traditions: In Catalonia, a man is pooping in the nativity scene
  4. Humans consume around 100,000 microplastics a year
  5. These impressive trees can absorb microplastics through their roots
Tags: microplasticpollution

ADVERTISEMENT
  • News
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Future
  • Space
  • Features
  • Reviews
  • More
  • About Us

© 2007-2021 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • News
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Future
  • Space
  • Features
    • Natural Sciences
    • Health
    • History and Humanities
    • Space & Astronomy
    • Culture
    • Technology
    • Resources
  • Reviews
  • More
    • Agriculture
    • Anthropology
    • Biology
    • Chemistry
    • Electronics
    • Geology
    • History
    • Mathematics
    • Nanotechnology
    • Economics
    • Paleontology
    • Physics
    • Psychology
    • Robotics
  • About Us
    • About
    • The Team
    • Advertise
    • Contribute
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact

© 2007-2021 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.

Don’t you want to get smarter every day?

YES, sign me up!

Over 35,000 subscribers can’t be wrong. Don’t worry, we never spam. By signing up you agree to our privacy policy.

✕
ZME Science News

FREE
VIEW