Microplastics and living organisms in a sample of water collected off the coast of Hawaii.

Photograph by
DAVID LIITSCHWAGER

Microplastics: A Health Concern

Scientists have recently uncovered more evidence that microplastics are more of a
concern than previously thought.

By Kaileigh Kulp

PUBLISHED NOVEMBER 6, 2021 – 10 MIN READ

 Water bottles, toothpaste, phone cases, packages, cars, and toys; what do all

these things have in common? Plastic! Plastics are ubiquitous in our daily lives and their

impacts on the environment are beginning to become evident. Large pieces of plastic

are not the only concern, as plastic degrades into smaller and smaller pieces called

microplastics. Microplastics are defined as plastics that are smaller than 5mm in their

smallest dimension. Recently scientists have uncovered evidence of adverse effects of

such plastics on both humans and the environment. Microplastics have even already

been confirmed inside the human body, in the air, water, food, and even in remote

areas such as the Alps and the Arctic. Microplastics are harmful to both the human body

and the environment, thus it is important to be aware of and determine the extent to

which microplastics are harmful and consider possible solutions.

Parallels between particulate pollution and microplastics are a particularly

concerning connection that scientists have made recently as it means that there is

potential for a wide array of bodily symptoms including cancer. Particulate pollution such

as that created by vehicles has been studied extensively and proven to cause adverse

health effects that may end up being similar to those of microplastics. Researchers Dick

Vethaak and Juliette Legler state, “Small particles (<2.5 µm), such as those from diesel

exhaust, are capable of crossing cell membranes and triggering oxidative stress and

inflammation and have been linked with increased risk of death from cardiovascular and

respiratory diseases or lung cancer” (Vethaak and Legler 672). This parallel means that

microplastics are extraordinarily harmful and an increase of their environmental

concentrations will lower life expectancies and quality of life for millions of people. It will
be paramount in coming years to continue to research both particulate and microplastic

pollution to be aware of the impacts on our bodies.

Microplastics have also been found in baby poop! The last thing that new parents

want is to hear about are the numerous ways in which their child may be in danger or at

risk of any number of health conditions. With microplastics in the picture, however, it is

very possible that babies are subject to dangerous conditions before they are even

brought into the world. Microplastics have been found inside placentas of healthy

pregnancies, and researchers are extraordinarily concerned about the impacts they may

have on developing babies. One researcher, Kurunthachalam Kannan even said, “I

strongly believe that these chemicals do affect early life stages … That’s a vulnerable

period” (qtd. Frishberg). Microplastics are also believed to be endocrine disruptors,

meaning that they may increase or decrease natural hormone levels within the body as

it develops. Disruptions to these vital hormones can cause a variety of developmental

issues that are of utmost concern to researchers and parents.

Implications of microplastics however don’t stop within the human body as they

extend to the environment as well. Microplastics in the ocean are introducing a unique

environmental consideration. There is so much garbage in the ocean that formation of

garbage patches has occurred. Experts have been tracking the ways which climate

change will change the currents, locations, and water temperatures in relation to these

garbage patches and warn that it is important to keep tabs on such trends so that we

can be proactive on the changing issue. Plastic garbage patches in the ocean are also a

concern since as the plastic degrades it will become microplastics that will only continue

to increase in concentration. These microplastics will continue to be present in our water

sources and have even made their way into our food as fish and other marine life eat

them.

We are eating, drinking, and even breathing in plastic pieces every day. As many

as 74,000 particles every year, and this number may be even higher if you drink water

from plastic bottles (Gibbens)! This multitude of plastic begs the question of safety for

our bodies. With all the places that microplastic have been found in the world around

each one of us it is difficult to argue that they will not have adverse effects on our health

and the health of the environment. Something must be done to mitigate this issue

before concentrations of microplastics reach a critical point. While it may still be

questionable what exact effects microplastics have on the human body and the

environment, they undoubtedly have adverse effects to some degree. Action is required,

and microplastics are only one of the many types of pollutants that are threatening the

future. Initiatives to clean the ocean, reduce single-use plastic use, and being mindful of
the products you are buying are all ways which we can look out for our health as well as

the health of future generations and the planet.

Citations -

Frishberg, Hannah. (2021, September 24). Alarming new study finds tons of
microplastics in baby poop. New York Post. Accessed October 12, 2021,
from https://nypost.com/2021/09/24/alarming-new-study-finds-tons-of-
microplastics-in-baby-poop/.

Gibbens, S. (2021, May 3). The average person eats thousands of plastic particles
every year, study finds. Environment. Retrieved November 12, 2021, from
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/you-eat-thousands-of-
bits-of-plastic-every-year.

Microplastics in food and water – are they harmful to human health? Eufic. (n.d.).
Retrieved November 12, 2021, from https://www.eufic.org/en/food-
safety/article/microplastics-in-food-and-water-are-they-harmful-to-human-health.

Vethaak, A.Dick, and Juliette Legler. “Microplastics and Human Health: Knowledge
Gaps Should Be Addressed to Ascertain the Health Risks of
Microplastics.” Science Advances, vol. 7, no. 7, Feb. 2021, pp. 672–
674. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1126/science.abe5041. Accessed 5 Oct. 2021.