Burlington, Massachusetts, 2025-06-18 09:00:00
Microplastics and Your Health
Living near polluted waters may increase the risk of serious health issues.
- Living near microplastic-polluted waters could increase the risk of type 2 diabetes, stroke, and coronary artery disease.
- Microplastics are found in drinking water, food, and even the air we breathe.
- These tiny particles can carry harmful chemicals throughout the body.
Could the ocean’s hidden pollution be silently jeopardizing your health? A recent study suggests that proximity to waters contaminated with microplastics may significantly raise the risk of developing serious conditions like type 2 diabetes, stroke, and coronary artery disease.
“This is one of the first large-scale studies to suggest that living near waters heavily polluted with microplastics may be linked to chronic health conditions,” said Dr. Sarju Ganatra, medical director of sustainability and vice chair of research in the department of medicine at Lahey Hospital & Medical Center in Burlington, Massachusetts. The research reveals a potential link between exposure to microplastics and increased health risks.
What are Microplastics?
Microplastics are tiny polymer fragments, measuring from less than 0.2 inch to as small as 1 micrometer. Anything smaller is a nanoplastic, measured in billionths of a meter. These minuscule particles can infiltrate cells and tissues, potentially disrupting cellular processes and introducing harmful chemicals.
These plastic particles are everywhere. “While this study measured pollution in ocean water, pollution isn’t limited to the sea. Microplastics are everywhere: in drinking water, in the food we eat, especially seafood, and even in the air we breathe,” Ganatra said in a statement.
The Dangers Lurking Within
These particles can carry endocrine-disrupting chemicals such as bisphenols, phthalates, flame retardants, PFAS, and heavy metals. The chemicals can travel throughout the body. “The chemicals can be carried to your liver and your kidney and your brain and even make their way across the placental boundary and end up in an unborn child,” said Sherri “Sam” Mason, director of sustainability at Penn State Behrend in Erie, Pennsylvania.
Recent studies have found microplastics and nanoplastics in various parts of the human body. These include the brain, testes, penis, blood, lungs, liver, urine, feces, mother’s milk, and the placenta.
In March, a study found people with microplastics or nanoplastics in their carotid artery tissues were twice as likely to experience a heart attack, stroke, or die within three years compared to those without.
Where is the Pollution Worst?
Coastal waters were considered heavily polluted if every “bathtub” of ocean water contained 10 or more plastic particles, according to the study published Wednesday in the Journal of the American Heart Association.
Researchers analyzed microplastic concentrations in ocean waters within 200 nautical miles of 152 coastal counties along the Pacific, Atlantic, and Gulf of Mexico, measured between 2015 and 2020. They then compared disease prevalence in these areas, adjusting for factors like age, sex, race, and socioeconomic status.
Compared to areas with low pollution, those near highly polluted waters had an 18% higher prevalence of type 2 diabetes, a 9% higher risk of stroke, and a 7% higher risk of coronary artery disease.
However, the study doesn’t prove a direct cause-and-effect relationship. Ganatra noted, “We also didn’t measure plastic levels in residents of these counties, and we don’t yet know the exact ways these particles may harm the body. So, while the findings are compelling, they should be a call for more in-depth research, not for making definitive conclusions.”
Chemicals and Health Risks
The study is limited by a lack of information on the specific chemicals within the microplastics, noted Ria Devereux, an environmental research fellow for the Sustainability Research Institute of the University of East London.
Chemicals used in plastic production pose health risks, including skin irritation, respiratory diseases, hormonal disruptions, and certain cancers. Devereux explained, “The adverse effects of chemicals used in plastic production are particularly pronounced in the Gulf of Mexico, an area often referred to as ‘Cancer Alley.’”
Phthalates, found in many consumer products, may have contributed to over 13% of global heart disease mortality in 2018 among those aged 55-64. Dr. Leonardo Trasande, professor at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, said, “Phthalates contribute to inflammation and systemic inflammation in the coronary arteries, which can accelerate existing disease and lead to acute events including mortality.”
Bisphenol A (BPA) is an endocrine disruptor linked to fetal abnormalities, low birth weight, brain and behavior disorders in infants and children, and diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and obesity in adults. Some studies even found erectile dysfunction in workers exposed to BPA.
How to Limit Plastic Exposure
While removing microplastics from the ocean is currently impossible, you can take steps to reduce exposure to harmful chemicals. Trasande previously suggested, “One is to reduce our plastic footprint by using stainless steel and glass containers, when possible.”
“Avoid microwaving food or beverages in plastic, including infant formula and pumped human milk, and don’t put plastic in the dishwasher, because the heat can cause chemicals to leach out,” he said.
Also, check recycling codes and avoid plastics with code 3, which often contain phthalates. The Natural Resources Defense Council suggests using reusable bags, fabric bags for dry cleaning, and bringing a travel mug and silverware.
Microplastics and Animals: The Canary in the Coal mine
As we examine the pervasive threat of microplastics to human health, it’s crucial to understand that we are not alone in this struggle. Marine organisms, from the smallest plankton to the largest whales, are also facing the devastating consequences of microplastic pollution [[2]]. Thes creatures,often at the base of the food chain,serve as an early warning system-a “canary in the coal mine”-for the broader environmental and health impacts of these ubiquitous particles.
Animals, particularly marine life, are ingesting microplastics at an alarming rate. This poses a critically important threat to their survival and the delicate balance of aquatic ecosystems.
The ingestion of microplastics poses a significant problem for marine animals,especially due to their physical properties like the obstruction of digestive tracts [[1]]. As microplastics are frequently enough mistaken for food, marine animals consume them, leading to a reduction in nutrient intake and potential starvation. Microplastics can accumulate in
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