A recent study revealed that an individual consumes several amounts of Micro and Nano plastics that can be equivalent to a Credit Card. The authors further indicated that individuals consume at least five grams of nano and microplastics, which are accumulated in various areas, including the oceans to the human body. The study conducted by the University of Vienna’s Medical faculty evaluated the individual’s potential to assimilate any possible carcinogenicity in the human body.

Researchers looked into the health risks of ingesting plastics

The team highlighted the basis of their study through various publications, including the Exposure & Health journal and others. The survey identified as “To Waste or Not to Waste.” Evaluates the possibility of possible health risk accompanied by the ingestion of plastics and other hazardous materials. The authors also revealed that some of the organs affected by the ingestion of plastics include the lungs and gastrointestinal tract.

Dating back to the 1950s, several specialists evaluate that a minimum of 8.3 billion tonnes of plastics have been eliminated. However, a sizeable amount now makes up 79% of natural surroundings and landfills. Following the disposition of plastics, they ultimately disintegrate into micro and nanoparticles that penetrate various soil components and several water bodies, including rivers and oceans.

Microplastics invade seafood and fruits

The authors revealed that microplastics could be scaled from 0.001 to 5 millimetres, and the estimation of nano plastics is less than 0.001 millimetres. The study further shows that the disclosed amounts penetrate seafood and fruits, thus eventually making it into the human body. Other means by which the plastic materials can penetrate the human body include water packaged in a plastic bottle and others. It is estimated that individuals who decide to consume tap water lower the number of absorbed plastic materials by at least 40,000 materials.

The study authors discovered that once human absorbs microplastics, the materials transport themselves through the gastrointestinal tract. The transportation thus results in the modification in the description and mechanism of the gut microbiome. Various scientists have revealed that the alterations to the human gastrointestinal tract are connected to several metabolic illnesses, including obesity and liver illnesses, among others.