Microplastics stick around in human airways + interact with heavy metals

[Mauritio]

The main takeaway for me was that we inhale the equivalent of a credit card of microplastic - per week. Isnt that crazy? I was aware of the amount, but I thought it was mostly due to foods, bills and drinks. But it's just from the air.

"...humans might inhale about 16.2 bits of microplastic every hour, which is equivalent to a credit card over an entire week."
- Microplastics stick around in human airways

The issue is that these particels seem to stay in human airways for a certain amount of time after we inhale them and that they can either carry other toxins witht them or make toxins, like heavy metals more harmfull:

"Because microplastics can accumulate other environmental contaminants on their surfaces, such as heavy metals or organic molecules,..."
"For example, certain metals, such as chromium (Cr), might take on different oxidation states while on the surfaces of microplastics. And although Cr(III) is relatively safe, Cr(VI) is toxic."
- Microplastics could make other pollutants more harmful

On top of that microplastic can alter the microbiome in an unfavorable way, which applies more to the microplastic that we ingest via food, like seafood. The microplastic in the ocean has tripled within the last 20 years, so thats not good either...
- Microplastics are harming gut health: Microplastic pollution is altering the gut microbiomes of wild seabirds, and humans should be wary too
- Microplastics deposited on the seafloor triple in 20 years

 

[laleto12]

sad

 

[Dave Clark]

When I was a kid, I inherently knew something was not good about plastics. They weren't reusable, they filled up landfills, and you could smell {back then} the chemical smell in the bottles, etc. As a child I couldn't understand why the need for replacing glass, earthenware, steel, etc., that was used for ions with no problems.
We as people seem to get sold on the 'conveniences' of things before we take a closer look to see what problems they may incur down the line, and.....here we are. The line in this movies stuck in my head:

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eaCHH5D74Fs

 

[Mauritio]

When I was a kid, I inherently knew something was not good about plastics. They weren't reusable, they filled up landfills, and you could smell {back then} the chemical smell in the bottles, etc. As a child I couldn't understand why the need for replacing glass, earthenware, steel, etc., that was used for ions with no problems.
We as people seem to get sold on the 'conveniences' of things before we take a closer look to see what problems they may incur down the line, and.....here we are. The line in this movies stuck in my head:

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eaCHH5D74Fs

Lol that movie

 

[Nick]

I think a lot of this is fibers shed from polyester and other synthetic fabrics. Outside of one's home there probably isn't much to be done but I suspect that this can be greatly decreased in household air by eliminating as much synthetic fabric as possible such as synthetic clothing, bedding, rugs, carpets, upholstery, window treatments.

 

[Mauritio]

I think a lot of this is fibers shed from polyester and other synthetic fabrics. Outside of one's home there probably isn't much to be done but I suspect that this can be greatly decreased in household air by eliminating as much synthetic fabric as possible such as synthetic clothing, bedding, rugs, carpets, upholstery, window treatments.

Yes good point.
Cotton and wood for the win!