microplastics

Microplastics are everywhere — we need to understand how they affect human health

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As evidence emerges describing the accumulation of small plastic particles in various organs and tissues of the body, a much deeper understanding of the effects of these particles on human health is urgently needed.

The world is awash with plastic — 6 billion tons’ worth. In 2019, 353 million tons of plastic waste were produced, with a tripling of that number to more than one billion tons predicted by 2060 (ref. 1). More than 10,000 chemicals are present in plastics2, including carcinogens and endocrine disruptors. Plastics find their way into the human body in the form of tiny particles called microplastics (less than 5 mm in diameter) and nanoplastics (less than 1 μm in diameter). Microplastics and nanoplastics (MNPs) can arise from a variety of sources, including by design, as in the case of microbeads used in cosmetic and personal care products, or inadvertently, as the result of degradation of larger plastic products, such as through the laundering of synthetic clothes or abrasion of tires. MNPs are found everywhere on the planet, including the oceans, air and food supply.

MNPs enter the body mainly through ingestion or inhalation. For example, one might ingest MNPs by drinking liquid or eating food that has been stored or heated in plastic containers from which MNPs have leached, or by using toothpaste containing MNPs. One startling study found that infants may be exposed to high levels of microplastics by ingesting formula prepared in propylene feeding bottles3.

The biological effects of MNPs have been researched for decades, mainly in studies of laboratory rodents and human cells. In rodent studies, microplastics have been shown to have detrimental effects on a wide variety of organs, including the intestine, lungs and liver, as well as the reproductive and nervous systems4. More recently, MNPs have been found in a variety of tissues and organs in humans, including blood, lungs, placenta and breast milk5.

The effects of MNPs on human health are just beginning to be documented. For example, a recent report described a potential link between MNPs present in blood vessels and cardiovascular disease6. In samples of atherosclerotic plaques that had been surgically excised from the carotid arteries of 304 people, plastic was detected in plaques from approximately half of this cohort, with polyethylene in 150 of the samples and polyvinyl chloride in 31 of them. Using electron microscopy, the researchers found jagged-edged particles, identified as MNPs, in the plaques. Deposition of plastic in the plaques was strongly associated with the development of subsequent cardiovascular disease: over the course of 34 months, people with evidence of MNPs in their plaques had a 4.5-fold higher risk of a composite endpoint of nonfatal myocardial infarction, nonfatal stroke or death from any cause, relative to the risk for those without such evidence.

In another study focusing on a potential link between microplastics and inflammatory bowel disease, 15 types of microplastics were detected in human feces7. The concentration of fecal microplastics was higher in people with inflammatory bowel disease than in healthy people, and the level of fecal microplastics correlated with the severity of the disease.

Although these studies did not demonstrate a causal link between the presence of MNPs and disease, they underscore the need to accelerate research on this topic. Among the most pressing questions are the amounts of MNPs that are absorbed through ingestion, inhalation or skin exposure, the amounts of MNPs that accumulate in different tissues over the lifetime of a person, and how the different characteristics of MNPs — including their chemical composition, size and shape — affect those tissues. Mechanistic studies are also needed to probe how MNPs might lead to damage, including systemic effects mediated by the immune system or the microbiome, or direct cytotoxic effects. There is also a need for study of how exposure to MNPs and its consequent effects on health may be influenced by environmental, social and economic factors.

As the world’s burden of plastic becomes more and more untenable, international public health initiatives are aiming to manage the production, design and disposal of plastics more responsibly. In the case of microplastics, from October 2023, the European Union has restricted the intentional addition of microplastics to products and has set a target to reduce microplastics pollution by 30% by 2030. In a wider effort, the UN Environment Assembly, with the support of 175 nations, adopted a resolution on 2 March 2022 to develop a global plastics treaty8, with the intention of drafting the treaty by the end of 2024.

The health risks of exposure to microplastics are just beginning to be understood. More detailed and conclusive evidence of how MNPs accumulate in the body and have detrimental effects on human health can only spur the development and adoption of policies with the teeth necessary for reducing the global impact of plastics and improving public and planetary health.

What Are the Health Risks of Microplastics in Our Bodies?

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Plastics break down into tiny bits that are absorbed into our arteries, blood, and organs. Read on to learn about the potential harms and how to reduce exposure.

microplastics in lab
Plastics degrade into microplastics, particles that are thousands of times smaller than a grain of rice.

Key Takeaways

  • Sources of microplastics include everything from food and drink containers to textiles and furniture.
  • Researchers have connected microplastics in arteries with an increased risk of heart attack and stroke.
  • Ways to limit microplastics exposure include choosing glass bottles over plastic and natural materials over synthetic.

It seems like microplastics are everywhere these days. These tiny plastics are in the air we breathe, the food we eat, and the water we drink. And they’re in our bodies, too, with recent research finding microplastics in our arteries.

“The rate of increase in microplastics in the environment is exponential and we have every reason to believe that the concentrations in our bodies will continue to increase in the coming years and decades,” says Matthew Campen, PhD, a professor at the University of New Mexico College of Pharmacy in Albuquerque, who has researched microplastics.

While there’s a growing body of evidence linking microplastics to a wide range of health issues, there’s not much definitive proof yet that these particles directly cause specific medical issues, Dr. Campen notes. “What scientists worry about is several trends in disease prevalence that have been unexplained — Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, colorectal cancer in people under 50, inflammatory bowel disease, and global reductions in sperm count,” says Campen, noting just some of the health problems that have been linked to microplastics in recent years.

The most convincing evidence yet of the threat microplastics may pose to human health was just published in The New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM), Campen says. Scientists found microplastics and nanoplastics — even tinier particles — inside arteries associated with a more than quadrupled risk of events like heart attacks, strokes, and premature death.

[1]

Even though the study didn’t prove that microplastics directly cause heart problems, “The recent report in NEJM raises serious alarms,” Campen says.

Read on to understand how much you should worry — and what you can do about it.

What Are Microplastics and Where Do They Come From?

Microplastics and nanoplastics are far too tiny to detect as you go about your daily life. Microplastics are less than 5 micrometers in size — thousands of times smaller than a grain of rice — and nanoplastics are below 1 micrometer.

These tiny particles can turn up in a lot of places you might not expect. They’re in water bottles and other plastic containers (which might seem obvious) but also in makeup, personal care items and grooming products, clothing and textiles, and many foods and drinks, says Martha Gulati, MD, director of preventive cardiology at the Smidt Heart Institute at Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles.

“There is an enormous amount of degraded plastic pollution contaminating our planet Earth and we are inhaling and ingesting microplastics and nanoplastics every day and everywhere,” Dr. Gulati says. “They have been found even in remote areas like the Antarctic and Arctic, Mount Everest, and the ocean floor.”

It’s easy for people to inhale or ingest microplastics because of their size and their ubiquity, and these plastic bits can accumulate over time.

What Health Issues Are Linked to Microplastics?

In lab experiments, microplastics clearly damage human cells, Gulati says. But what’s less clear is whether they might directly contribute to specific health problems.

“The problem with the study of the specific toxicity of microplastics is that they are composed of different chemicals, many with different potential health effects,” says says Luz Claudio, PhD, a professor of environmental medicine and public health at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City.

One of the main health concerns about microplastics is their potential to be what’s known as endocrine disruptors — chemicals that interfere with the normal functioning of the body’s hormone system, Dr. Claudio says. “Many well-documented studies on laboratory animals point in this direction,” Claudio notes.

As our exposure to microplastics continues to rise, and these tiny particles keep accumulating inside our bodies, scientists are concerned about what health issues may result, Claudio says. “No one really knows the answer to this, but this lack of conclusive knowledge does not mean that the effects are not important,” Claudio adds.

RELATED: For the First Time, Microplastics Detected in Human Heart Tissue

Can You Avoid Microplastics or Get Rid of Them Once They’re in Your Body?

Even if the exact health risks aren’t clear, there are certainly no benefits to microplastics building up over time inside the body. And even if you can’t completely avoid exposure, there are things you can do to limit it, says Jessica Goddard, PhD, chief science officer at Tap Score and SimpleLab, a water testing startup in Berkeley, California.

“We can absolutely limit our exposure to microplastics and we can reduce our contribution to the broader microplastics pollution problem,” Dr. Goddard says.

For example, you can limit exposure to microplastics in drinking water by using a home filtration system for tap water and by avoiding disposable plastic bottles.

When it comes to breathing microplastics, you can take steps to limit indoor air pollution that contains particles shed by carpets and furniture items made from plastic fibers.

“We’re surrounded by plastic products, so I try to think about what purchases will give me the highest impact for the greatest risk reduction,” Goddard says. “This may be different for everyone. The highest impact being things I’ll use over and over again, and mitigating the greatest risk means thinking about the route of exposure and the susceptibility and vulnerability of the exposed.”

In Goddard’s case, she chose glass bottles instead of plastic for her baby. “Babies are particularly vulnerable and so are usually at greater risk from exposures,” Goddard says. “Baby bottles are used over and over and heated regularly, so making the plastic-alternative choice has a great impact.”

The choices might look different for another person or family. For some it might mean seeking out clothing and home textiles made from natural fibers; for others it could involve ditching plastic food containers.

Doing what you can is important because there’s no way to remove microplastics from your body once absorbed. “You cannot detox,” Goddard says

Microplastics and Nanoplastics in Atheromas and Cardiovascular Events

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Abstract

BACKGROUND

Microplastics and nanoplastics (MNPs) are emerging as a potential risk factor for cardiovascular disease in preclinical studies. Direct evidence that this risk extends to humans is lacking.

METHODS

We conducted a prospective, multicenter, observational study involving patients who were undergoing carotid endarterectomy for asymptomatic carotid artery disease. The excised carotid plaque specimens were analyzed for the presence of MNPs with the use of pyrolysis–gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, stable isotope analysis, and electron microscopy. Inflammatory biomarkers were assessed with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and immunohistochemical assay. The primary end point was a composite of myocardial infarction, stroke, or death from any cause among patients who had evidence of MNPs in plaque as compared with patients with plaque that showed no evidence of MNPs.

RESULTS

A total of 304 patients were enrolled in the study, and 257 completed a mean (±SD) follow-up of 33.7±6.9 months. Polyethylene was detected in carotid artery plaque of 150 patients (58.4%), with a mean level of 21.7±24.5 μg per milligram of plaque; 31 patients (12.1%) also had measurable amounts of polyvinyl chloride, with a mean level of 5.2±2.4 μg per milligram of plaque. Electron microscopy revealed visible, jagged-edged foreign particles among plaque macrophages and scattered in the external debris. Radiographic examination showed that some of these particles included chlorine. Patients in whom MNPs were detected within the atheroma were at higher risk for a primary end-point event than those in whom these substances were not detected (hazard ratio, 4.53; 95% confidence interval, 2.00 to 10.27; P<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

In this study, patients with carotid artery plaque in which MNPs were detected had a higher risk of a composite of myocardial infarction, stroke, or death from any cause at 34 months of follow-up than those in whom MNPs were not detected.

There’s a Surprisingly Simple Way to Remove Microplastics From Your Drinking Water

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woman drinking water from a glass

Tiny fragments of microplastics are making their way deep inside our bodies in concerning quantities, significantly through our food and drink.

Scientists have now found a simple and effective means of removing them from water.

A team from Guangzhou Medical University and Jinan University in China ran tests on both soft water and hard tap water (which is richer in minerals), adding in nanoplastics and microplastics (NMPs) before boiling the liquid and then filtering out any precipitates.

In some cases, up to 90 percent of the NMPs were removed by the boiling and filtering process, though the effectiveness varied based on the type of water. Of course the big benefit is that most people can do it using what they already have in their kitchen.

Plastic fragments
Extra microplastics were added to determine the effectiveness of the boiling and filtering process.

“This simple boiling water strategy can ‘decontaminate’ NMPs from household tap water and has the potential for harmlessly alleviating human intake of NMPs through water consumption,” write the researchers in their published paper.

A greater concentration of NMPs was removed from samples of hard tap water, which naturally forms a build-up of limescale (or calcium carbonate) as it is heated. Commonly seen inside kitchen kettles, the chalky substance forms on the plastic’s surface as changes in temperature force the calcium carbonate out of solution, effectively trapping the plastic fragments in a crust.

Even in soft water, where less calcium carbonate is dissolved, roughly a quarter of the NMPs were snagged from the water. Any bits of lime-encrusted plastic could then be removed through a simple filter like the stainless steel mesh used to strain tea, the researchers say.

Past studies have measured fragments of polystyrene, polyethylene, polypropylene, and polyethylene terephthalate in potable tap water, which we’re consuming daily in varying quantities. To put the strategy to the ultimate test, the researchers added even more nanoplastic particles, which were effectively reduced in number.

“Drinking boiled water apparently is a viable long-term strategy for reducing global exposure to NMPs,” write the researchers. “Drinking boiled water, however, is often regarded as a local tradition and prevails only in a few regions.”

The research team is hoping that drinking boiled water might become a more widespread practice as plastics continue to take over the world.

While it’s still not certain exactly how damaging this plastic is to our bodies, it’s clearly not the healthiest of snacks. Plastics have already been linked to changes in the gut microbiome and the body’s antibiotic resistance.

The team behind this latest study now wants to see more research into how boiled water could keep artificial materials out of our bodies – and perhaps counter some of the alarming effects of microplastics that are emerging.

“Our results have ratified a highly feasible strategy to reduce human NMP exposure and established the foundation for further investigations with a much larger number of samples,” write the researchers.

Boiling tap water could remove up to 90% of the microplastics in it.

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Boiling tap water could effectively remove a significant percentage of the microplastics in it. Image credit: Tim Robberts/Getty Images.

  • Microplastics — tiny particles in the air, water, and soil — are increasingly found in drinking water and food supplies around the world.
  • The effects of microplastics on humans have been studied and found to affect the composition and diversity of gut microbiomes.
  • Researchers in China found that boiling hard tap water can produce calcium carbonate, which form crystallized encapsulations around microplastics that could be scraped or removed by pouring the water through a coffee filter.
  • This technique removed up to 90% of the microplastics in samples of hard water and up to 25% of the microplastics in soft water.

Microplastics — tiny particles in the air, water, and soil — are an unfortunate byproduct of the globalized economy in a time that some researchers have defined as the Plastic AgeTrusted Source.

Defined by the United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), and the European Chemicals Agency as particles under 5 millimeters (mm) long and insoluble in water, microplastics are increasingly prevalent in the Earth’s oceans, atmosphere, drinking water, and food supplies.

Some studies have examined the effects that microplastics have on the human gut microbiome. In 2022, researchers published a study in the journal NatureTrusted Source suggesting that “microplastic feeding affects both composition and diversity of colonic microbial communities.”

How to get rid of microplastics in water

While there are some water filtration systems that can reduce the number of microplastics in municipal drinking water supplies, a new study in the journal Environmental Science & Technology Letters suggests that boiling and filtering water — using the same methods and materials that one might use to make tea or coffee — could reduce 90% of free-floating nano- and microplastics (NMPs).

Researchers took samples of hard tap water from Guangzhou, China, and added different levels of NMPs to different samples, then boiled each sample for five minutes.

They found that crystalline structures of calcium carbonate — which occurs when boiling hard tap water since it is full of minerals — encapsulated the particles of MNPs.

Prof. Eddy Zeng, one of the study authors, said that these particles could build up over time and be scrubbed away; by pouring the rest of the water into a coffee filter, any remaining encrusted MNPs could be removed.

These methods showed that more encapsulation was visible in hard water, with 90% of MNPs removed from a sample that had 300 milligrams (mg) of calcium carbonate per liter. Soft water samples with less than 60 mg of calcium carbonate per liter showed a 25% reduction in MNPs through boiling.

How do microplastics affect the human microbiome?

Dr. Vincent Young, MD, Ph.D., professor of internal medicine and microbiology and immunology at the University of Michigan, who was not involved in the study, told Medical News Today that while studies have been conducted to establish the scope and effects of exposure to microplastics, nothing concrete has yet been established.

“There are multiple papers that suggest that the gut microbiome changes upon exposure to microplastics,” Dr. Young said. “That being said, it isn’t clear if these changes have a direct effect on human health. It should be noted that many things can alter the microbiome in the short run, again with unclear effects on human health.”

Melanie Murphy Richter, a registered dietitian nutritionist and the director of communications for Prolon, who was not involved in the study, told MNT that human gut development has changed as broader access to drinking water has evolved.

“The cells within our gut change every 3 days. That means that our gut composition will adapt and change in a matter of weeks (sometimes months) in favor of what we are exposed to most often,” Richter said.

“With the change in water supply, our gut composition has invariably changed. In fact,certain researchTrusted Sourceshows that people in the U.S. and U.K. have distinct gut microbiome signatures directly related to the source and amount of drinking water. Andother researchTrusted Sourceshows that there is still quite a bit of ‘dark matter’ when it comes to identifying the hundreds of species and types of microbes that have been found in tap water.”

“Sanitation — which is a good thing, don’t get me wrong — has changed our microbiome. This is part of the so-called hygiene hypothesis,” Dr. Young said.

“This has greatly lowered the burden of infectious diseases, but might be linked to the rise of conditions such as asthma, inflammatory bowel disease and other conditions characterized by altered immune responses due to lower exposure to pathogens,” he noted.

Richter cited a number of long-term effects of chronic exposure to microplastics, like digestive disorders, endocrine disruption, obesity, cardiovascular disease, and neurodegenerative disorders. She added that these medical conditions as a result of microplastic exposure often fall on people living on the economic or racial margins of society.

“Microplastic exposure and consumption disproportionately affect low-income communities and Indigenous communities due to social, economic and environmental factors. For instance, these communities tend to be situated near industrial facilities, landfills, waste incinerators or other sources of plastic pollution which can increase their exposure to microplastics in air, water, soil and food,” Richter said.

“Additionally, these communities typically don’t have the same access to clean drinking water or less polluted foods. Their lack of access to these nutritious foods and cleaner waters could exacerbate their risk of exposure,” she pointed out.

Are there foods or supplements that can counter the effects of microplastics?

Any level of pre- or probiotic supplements can help regulate a healthy gut microbiome. Fermented foods like yogurt, sauerkraut, pickles, or kimchi can also be part of a good probiotic digestive regimen.

Richter added that fiber in foods like onions, asparagus, bananas, or buckwheat are prebiotics that feed the “good bacteria” that exist in the gut, and suggested that omega-3s in flaxseeds, walnuts, and mackerel can reduce inflammation.

Polyphenols in green tea, berries, or leafy greens can also fight against damage from microplastic consumption, she said, as can items like “binders.”

“Binders like activated charcoal, bentonite clay, or zeolite clay may help to bind to certain toxins and remove them from the body. Research on the efficacy of binders is still in its early stages but shows promise,” Richter said. “It’s important to remember not to take binders when you eat food, however, to avoid essential nutrients being removed from your body. Also, I recommend taking them with a big glass of water.”

Scientists Discover Microplastics Within Donated Testes and Semen

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Scientists have for the first time detected microplastic particles within donated human testes and semen, averaging 12 particles/gram tissue and 0.23 particles/ml semen. Findings provide unprecedented evidence of microplastics permeating and accumulating within the male reproductive system.

In a pioneering study, scientists analyzed donated testicular tissue and semen samples from adult males for microplastic content and characteristics.[1] Employing high resolution spectroscopy and pyrolysis methods tailored for precision plastic detection, tests revealed microplastics averaging 11.6 particles/g tissue within testes and 0.23 particles/ml in expressed semen.[1]

Researchers discovered microplastics ranging from 20 – 287 μm composed of polyethylene, polystyrene and polyvinyl chloride predominating within specimens.[1] Both fragmented and fibrous particles were noted.

These highly concerning findings constitute the first evidence of microplastics accumulating within the cellular and fluid microenvironments where the most fundamental human biological processes essential for the continued reproduction of our species – sperm production – initiate. As global plastic production continues soaring, investigations into potential generational health effects now take on urgent priority.

We recently reported on a new study indicating that both the ubiquity and toxicity of exposure to microplastic pollution is far worse than previously imagined. Using advanced microscopy, researchers detect over 240,000 plastic particles per liter in bottled water – mostly hazardous nanoplastics below 1 micron. The scientists achieved unprecedented detection sensitivity to spot individual plastic particles down to 60-100nm – smaller than the wavelength of light. Because traditional toxicological risk assessments presume that the smaller the total mass of the “toxicant” (‘the dose makes the poison’) the smaller the adverse effect, it is now becoming clear that lower molecular weight nanoparticles may actually have increased toxicity as they can act as endocrine disruptors mimicking hormones at smaller doses, and some particles are small enough to evade detection from the immune system and/or directly enter through the membrane of cells adversely affecting their structure and function and even altering gene expression in adverse ways.

All in all, this new research reveals there may be far higher human exposure concerns than previously presumed, warranting research on toxicity and regulation. 

Thus far, there is little available research establishing effective ways to remove microplastics from the body, but preliminary research indicates that sweating may help to eliminate some accumulated petrochemicals, and this could include micro- and nanoplastics.

Microplastics found in patients after heart surgery

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Everywhere scientists look for microplastics, they’ve found them — food, water, air and some parts of the human body. But examinations of our innermost organs that aren’t directly exposed to the environment are still limited.

Now, in a pilot study of people who underwent heart surgery, researchers in ACS’ Environmental Science & Technology report that they have found microplastics in many heart tissues. They also report evidence suggesting that microplastics were unexpectedly introduced during the procedures. 

Microplastics are plastic fragments less than 5 millimeters wide, or about the size of a pencil eraser. Research has shown that they can enter the human body through mouths, noses and other body cavities with connections to the outside world. Yet many organs and tissues are fully enclosed inside a person’s body, and scientists lack information on their potential exposure to, and effects from, microplastics. So, Kun Hua, Xiubin Yang and colleagues wanted to investigate whether these particles have entered people’s cardiovascular systems through indirect and direct exposures.

Harmful substances in the soil, water and air also endanger people’s health. In recent years, environmental medicine has been increasingly concerned with the consequences of climate change.

In a pilot experiment, the researchers collected heart tissue samples from 15 people during cardiac surgeries, as well as pre- and post-operation blood specimens from half of the participants. Then the team analyzed the samples with laser direct infrared imaging and identified 20 to 500 micrometer-wide particles made from eight types of plastic, including polyethylene terephthalate, polyvinyl chloride and poly(methyl methacrylate). This technique detected tens to thousands of individual microplastic pieces in most tissue samples, though the amounts and materials varied between participants. All of the blood samples also contained plastic particles, but after surgery their average size decreased, and the particles came from more diverse types of plastics. 

Although the study had a small number of participants, the researchers say they have provided preliminary evidence that various microplastics can accumulate and persist in the heart and its innermost tissues. They add that the findings show how invasive medical procedures are an overlooked route of microplastics exposure, providing direct access to the bloodstream and internal tissues. More studies are needed to fully understand the effects of microplastics on a person’s cardiovascular system and their prognosis after heart surgery, the researchers conclude. 

Recycling of plastics can generate large amounts of microplastics:

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main img

Microplastics

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

Microplastics, as the name suggests, are small plastic particles. Officially, they are described as plastics with a diameter of less than five millimetres (0.2 inches) smaller in diameter than a normal pearl used in jewellery.

The plastics industry has championed recycling as a critical solution to the rising problem of plastic waste. However, new research has found that recycling itself may be producing massive amounts of microplastics.

An international team of experts collected wastewater from a cutting-edge recycling plant in an unknown site in the United Kingdom. They discovered that microplastics discharged into the water accounted for 13 per cent of all plastic processed, as reported by the Guardian.

Based to their estimates, the plant might be emitting up to 75 billion plastic particles every cubic metre of effluent

“I was incredibly shocked,” said Erina Brown, the lead researcher of the study, conducted at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow.

“It’s scary because recycling has been designed in order to reduce the problem and to protect the environment. This is a huge problem we’re creating,” she told the Guardian.

The researchers analysed the water before and after the facility installed a water filtration system and discovered that the filter decreased microplastic concentrations from 13 per cent to 6 per cent of the plastic processed.

Brown stated that the bulk of the particles were less than 10 microns, or around the diameter of a human red blood cell, with more than 80 per cent being smaller than five microns.

Where else are microplastics found?

Microplastics, defined as any plastic particle less than 5mm in size, have been discovered everywhere: from freshly fallen snow in Antarctica to the depths of the ocean and inside human organs. They can be hazardous to animals and plants.

ALSO READ | Ocean plastic pollution reaches ‘unprecedented levels’ since 2005

The findings also found a significant concentration of microplastics in the air near the recycling plant, with 61 per cent of the particles being smaller than 10 millimetres in size. Human illness has been connected to particulate matter smaller than 10 millimetres.

Brown described the facility as a “best case scenario” since it had taken attempts to incorporate water filtering, something many other recycling companies may not have done. According to the research, the recycling facility emitted up to 2,933 metric tonnes of microplastics per year before the filtering system was installed, and up to 1,366 metric tonnes thereafter.

“More than 90 per cent of the particles we found were under 10 microns and 80 per cent were under 5 microns,” said Brown.

“These are digestible by so many different organisms and found to be ingested by humans,” she added.

Only around 9 per cent of the 370 million metric tonnes of plastic generated globally is recycled.

Defining microplastics

Microplastics, as the name suggests are small plastic particles. Officially, they are described as plastics with a diameter of less than five millimetres (0.2 inches) smaller in diameter than a normal pearl used in jewellery. Microplastics are classified into two types: the primary and secondary, as per National Geographic.

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Microfibres shed from clothes and other fabrics, such as fishing nets, are examples of primary microplastics. Secondary microplastics are particles that form when bigger plastic products, such as water bottles, degrade. This disintegration is produced by exposure to environmental elements, including sunlight and ocean waves.

Abundance of microplastics in the world’s deep seas.

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Around four billion minute fibers could be littering each square kilometer of some of the world’s deep seas, according to a new study.
Richard Thompson.

The deep sea is becoming a collecting ground for plastic waste, according to research led by scientists from Plymouth University and Natural History Museum.

The new study, published today in Royal Society Open Science, reveals around four billion microscopic plastic fibres could be littering each square kilometre of deep sea sediment around the world.

Marine plastic debris is a global problem, affecting wildlife, tourism and shipping. Yet monitoring over the past decades has not seen its concentration increase at the sea surface or along shorelines, despite experts knowing that more is being created.

However, the current study indicates this may be because microplastics have sunk to the ocean floor, with the number of fibres recorded in the deep seas up to four times greater than in shallow and coastal waters.

“The puzzle for marine scientists has been to establish where plastic debris is going. Part of the answer is that much of this waste is breaking down into fibres invisible to the naked eye and sinking to the sea floor,” said Dr Lucy Woodall, zoologist at the Natural History Museum. “It is alarming to find such high levels of contamination, especially when the full effect of these plastics on the delicate balance of deep sea ecosystems is unknown.”

The study, which also involved the University of Barcelona, the University of Oxford and the Scottish Association for Marine Science, focussed on deep-sea sediment and coral samples collected by Dr Woodall and other scientists from 16 sites in the Mediterranean Sea, Atlantic and Indian Oceans.

Analysis of the non-natural particles at Plymouth University confirmed microplastics were abundant in all the samples (ranging from 1.4-40 pieces per 50ml of sediment), were commonly around 2-3mm in length and were mostly blue, black, green or red in colour.

Rayon — a humanmade non-plastic polymer used in personal hygiene products and clothing — contributed to 56.9% of the total fibres seen, with polyester, polyamides, acetate and acrylic among the others recorded.

Professor Richard Thompson, Professor of Marine Biology at Plymouth University, coordinated the study and led the identification process. He said: “The deep sea habitat extends to more than 300 million km² globally, so the discovery of previously under-reported microplastics suggests there may be even greater accumulation than was previously suspected. A range of shallow water organisms are known to ingest microplastics, and the extent of their harmful effects will likely be influenced by their relative abundance. The discovery of substantial quantities in deep-sea sediments is of considerable relevance to our understanding of the potential of these particles to cause harm in the marine environment.”