Here, there, and in the toilet? Microplastics now found in our poop

Here, there, and in the toilet? Microplastics now found in our poop

Microplastics can be found just about everywhere, from the depths of the ocean to our beer. So it's not a surprise that these tiny bits of plastic have made their way into our poo. But what does it mean for our health?

You may know it on a subconscious level, but now the research is in: Microplastics are in our poo.

Researchers from the Medical University of Vienna and the Austrian Environment Agency studied the diets and stool samples of eight participants from across the globe. Some amount of microplastics was present in the feces of every single one.

So we can now add that to the list of places of microplastics have been found.

Although it is now that microplastics are in us too, the science is less clear.

Plastic people

Plastic is everywhere. Production has been increasing since the 1950s, and it is estimated that by 2050 there will be 33 billion tons more plastic on the planet.

Microplastics are defined as plastic particles measuring 5 millimeters (0.2 inches) in diameter or less.

Such tiny particles can be intentionally manufactured as microplastics, as some exfoliating beads in facial scrubs, or they can come out of plastics, such as fibers or parts of the fabric.

Microplastics per gram of stool. The tiny bits of plastic ranged in size from 50 to 500 micrometers.

"Plastics are pervasive in everyday life, and humans are exposed to plastics in numerous ways," said study lead researcher, Philipp Schwabl. "Personally, I did not expect that each sample would test positive," he told DW.

In total, nine types of plastics were identified in the stool samples. Plastics used in packaging and polypropylene and polyethylene terephthalate were the most common.

"It is highly likely that during various stages of food processing or processing, food is being contaminated with plastics," said Schwabl. "Most participants drank liquids from plastic bottles, but also fish and seafood ingestion was common."

What the health?

From algae to bluefin tuna to humans, ingest microplastics. The tiny plastic particles have the same effect on the tissues of their digestive systems, with sharp-edged parts causing inflammation in their tissues.

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"Of particular concern is what this means to us, and especially patients with gastrointestinal diseases," said Schwabl. "While the highest concentrations in animal studies have been found in the gut, the smallest microscopic particles are capable of entering the bloodstream, and may even reach the liver."

Microplastics have been found in bottled water

The study 's team says that microplastics may be particularly sensitive to the use of microbial drugs, and that they are more likely to be toxic and pathogenic.

Some scientists are worried about this "hitchhiking effect," as well as possible of certain plastics (like BPA), which can induce immune responses and interfere with hormones, among other adverse effects.

More research is required to clarify the impact of microplastics on the health of humans and other living things.

What we do not know …

A recent review of the science of microplastics by Alistair Boxall, a professor of environmental science at the University of York, found that the effects of microplastics in the environment are much higher.

Microplastics of various shapes and sizes are omnipresent in our environment

"Even though these things occur in the environment and we detect them in water, we believe that they are actually causing harm to animals. , "Boxall told DW.

Boxall, who also studies the impacts of pollution, said, "There are other chemicals in the environment that we should be worrying about much more in terms of human health than microplastics."

While microplastics may have infiltrated our digestive tract, we do not yet know that they are something to worry about.

Schwabl agrees with the need for further investigation.

"Now that we have the first evidence for microplastics in humans, we need more research to understand what it means for human health," he said.

You are what you eat

Participants in this study were largely European (from Finland, Austria, Italy, Poland, Russia, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands), with one from Japan. Future studies could include a wider array of participants from different cultural backgrounds in different parts of the world, broadening the diversity of diets examined.

Another point of inquiry going forward would be to compare the microplastics found in stool from vegetarians and other eaters and pescetarians. None of the participants in this study were vegetarians and six fish during the study.

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