Microplastics are found in drinking water and even in table salt

Noting that plastics are made of petroleum derivatives that are not easily biodegradable, experts say that plastics are now found in all oceans in the world, and marine mammals and bird species consume plastic pieces. Emphasizing that microplastics are found in various beverages, drinking water (bottled water contains more microplastics than tap water) and even table salt, Prof. Nilgün Tekkeşin stated that "The presence of microplastics in human saliva, hair and feces shows that we are all regularly exposed to these plastic fragments."

Prof. Nilgün Tekkeşin from Üsküdar University, Faculty of Medicine (English), Department of Medical Biochemistry evaluated the issue of microplastics. Stating that microplastics have become an integral part of personal care, cosmetics and cleaning products with the developments in their use and have emerged as a local source of environmental pollution, Prof. Nilgün Tekkeşin continued her remarks as follows:

"When you look around your current environment, yo are likely to see plastic. The production and use of plastic products have increased significantly since the 1950s when plastic manufacturing became widespread. Plastics are lightweight, durable and inexpensive, which makes them a useful component of our household goods, packaging materials, and other everyday items. Currently, more than 320 million tons of plastic are produced worldwide each year. Half of these products are produced for single-use packaging. Since only a small fraction of plastic products are recycled, most plastic products are discarded as waste."

Some species of birds even feed their chicks plastic parts

Noting that plastics are made of petroleum derivatives that are not easily biodegradable, Prof. Nilgün Tekkeşin said that "This means that discarded plastic products accumulate in landfills, oceans and other environments and become permanent instead of breaking down quickly. Plastics are now found in all the world's oceans. Marine mammals and bird species are known to consume plastic pieces, and some bird species even feed plastic pieces to their chicks."

There are also nanoplastics

Stating that there are about 50 trillion pieces of plastic in the oceans today, Prof. Nilgün Tekkeşin said that "5 million tons of plastic are transported from rivers to oceans every year. When plastic products enter marine environments, they are exposed to UV radiation, winds, and physical abrasion from wave currents. These forces encourage plastic products to break down into smaller pieces. These pieces are called microplastics or nanoplastics depending on their size. In general, microplastics are plastic pieces that are less than 5 millimeters long; Nanoplastics, on the other hand, are smaller pieces that are less than 1 micron in length." Stating that there are numerous sources of microplastics spreading into the environment, Prof. Nilgün Tekkeşin listed them as follows:
• "Car and truck tire parts
• Clothing fibers (shed during machine washing)
• Cosmetics
• Water bottles
• Plastic bags"

Why are microplastics a problem?

Stating that due to their small size, microplastics can easily spread in the air, accumulate in the environment and be difficult to detect. Nilgün Tekkeşin said that "Microplastics are found in various beverages, drinking water (bottled water contains more microplastics than tap water) and even table salt. Filter-fed ones, such as mussels and oysters, can consume microplastics suspended in seawater, and microplastics are found in many types of seafood. Microplastics are also produced for use in toothpastes and other cosmetic products. The U.S. Congress passed the 'Microbead-Free Waters Act of 2015', which bans the production and sale of rinse-off cosmetics (toothpastes, cleaners) containing microplastics. Microbeads found in face wash gel and makeup products have been banned in the U.S. since 2015."

Do microplastics harm humans?

Explaining that plastic particles can enter the body when people consume food contaminated with microplastics, drink water or breathe air, Prof. Nilgün Tekkeşin stated that "In general, food intake causes up to 52 thousand microplastic pieces to be consumed per person every year. The presence of microplastics in human saliva, hair and feces suggests that we are all regularly exposed to these plastic fragments."

Noting that some researchers believe that microplastics have harmful effects on human health, Prof. Nilgün Tekkeşin said that Microplastics can absorb heavy metals and unwanted chemicals, including insecticides, from the environment, resulting in increased exposure of people to these chemicals and leading to toxic effects

It can enter the skin through hair follicles or open wounds

Noting that microplastics are also found in human lung tissue through inhalation, Prof. Nilgün Tekkeşin also stated that it can enter the skin through sweat glands, hair follicles or open wounds. Prof. Nilgün Tekkeşin continued her remarks as follows: "Since microplastics are very common in our environment, it is not possible to completely prevent contact with these particles. People who want to avoid exposure to microplastics should consider using water filtration systems to remove microplastics from drinking water. However, this does not preclude exposure to other sources of microplastic fragments, such as food or air."

We must avoid using plastic products in the microwave...

Tekkeşin said that we should avoid using plastic products in the microwave, and that researchers discovered that when plastic containers are heated in the microwave, these small particles are released in large quantities.

 

Üsküdar News Agency (ÜNA)