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Scientists have been warning us for years about the potential dangers of plastics in the human food chain. Now, they say they have the first real evidence that we are absorbing and emitting microscopic particles of petroleum-based substances. That's right, people: according to a new study, we have plastic in our poo.
The new research was presented in Vienna this week at the UEG European Week, a conference for United European Gastroenterology. Stool samples were collected from eight participants from around the world: Finland, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Poland, Russia, the United Kingdom and Austria.
At the conference, researchers from the Vienna Medical University and the environment. The Austria Agency reported that each stool sample badyzed was positive for the presence of microplastics, defined as plastic particles smaller than 5 millimeters. Up to nine different types of plastic have been identified in the samples, including common products such as polypropylene, polyethylene and terephthalate.
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It's pretty disgusting to know that we are consuming plastic. But what exactly does this mean for our health? This part is still unclear, but, according to a UEG Week press release, microplastics could accumulate in the gastrointestinal tract, "where it could affect the tolerance and immune response of the intestine ". It could also contribute to the transmission of toxic chemicals and pathogens. the body, say the scientists.
It is not known how plastic particles enter the gastrointestinal tract . Researchers at the origin of the study, however, say that plastic containers for food and beverages may have something to do with it.
Microplastics are sometimes made for specific purposes (such as the tiny exfoliating beads contained in some skincare products), but they can also be used. inadvertently created when larger pieces of plastic fail due to weather or wear. Previous research has shown that bottled water can contain microplastics and that people who eat often at restaurants are more likely to have higher levels of phthalates (a chemical in some plastics) in their urine. than those who eat mainly at home.
We could also consume animals – like fish and other types of seafood – having ingested microplastics found in the environment. Participants in the new study kept food diaries during the week before their stool samples, which showed that they had all been exposed to packaged foods or plastic bottles. None were vegetarians and six had eaten fish.
In the new study, all found microplastics were between 50 and 500 micrometers. On average, each 10 gram saddle contained about 50 microplastic particles.
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Principal Investigator Philipp Schwabl, MD, In a press release, this study confirms what we have suspected for a long time: the plastic can reach the intestine. This is worrying for human health, he says, especially for patients with gastrointestinal diseases.
"While the highest plastic concentrations in animals have been found in the intestine, the smallest microplastic particles are able to penetrate the bloodstream, the lymphatic system and can even reach the liver, "said Dr. Schwabl. "Now that we have the first evidence of microplastics in humans, we need more research to understand what it means for human health."
This research can not happen soon enough, say many scientists and activists. Global plastic production has increased significantly since the 1950s, according to the World Economic Forum, and continues to grow each year. Not only are most people regularly exposed to plastic in their daily lives, but it is estimated that about 2 to 5% of the plastics produced end up in the waterways, where they are consumed by marine animals and enter the chain. food.
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In July, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) issued a statement to help people navigate in the complex world of plastics and potential risks to health. The organization recommends avoiding plastics containing recycling codes 3, 6 and 7 unless they are also labeled "biobased" or "greenware".
These clbades of plastics (which may include phthalates, styrene and bisphenols) are: badociated with the strongest evidence of potential health risks, says the PAA, especially for children and pregnant women. But the text also recommends common sense precautions when handling all kinds of plastics: do not put them in the microwave or in a dishwasher, and try to choose whole foods rather than processed and packaged, in the wherever possible.
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