2023-06-18 11:57:12
You inhale more plastics than you might think. Recent research published in the journal Physics of Fluids revealed that humans are inhaling around 16.2 bits of microplastic per hour.
That amount, at the end of a week, represents the same as an entire credit card. That’s right! If until then there was talk about their presence in the sea and in rubbish around the world, now they are already in the air and entering people’s bodies.
These microplastics are the result of irregular dumping of various products into the environment and their degradation over time. What needs to be clear is that they are rich in pollutants and toxic products, posing serious health risks.
In water, air and soil
The research sought to understand how these substances are transported in the respiratory system in order to establish strategies for the prevention and treatment of diseases.
According to study author Mohammad S. Islam, millions of tons of microplastics have been found in water, air and soil. As if that weren’t enough, it also highlights an alarming aspect: the global production of microplastics and their presence in the air are increasing.
“For the first time, in 2022, studies have found microplastics in human airways, which raises concerns about serious risks to respiratory health,” he explains.
Search
The study done by Islam explored different shapes of microplastics: spherical, cylindrical and tetrahedral. They were also found in varying sizes, from 1.6 to 5.56 microns.
The discovery revealed that the particles tend to accumulate in hot spots in the nasal cavity, in the oropharynx and even in the back of the throat.
“The complicated and highly asymmetrical anatomical shape of the airways and the complex flow behavior in the nasal cavity and oropharynx cause microplastics to deviate from the flow line and deposit in these areas”, explains Islam.
This result is cause for concern. People are exposed to inhaling microplastics, especially in regions with high levels of pollution or industrial activity. Scholars hope that the new data will help in the conduct of equipment and devices aimed at public health.
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