Microplastics in Human Blood

In News

• A recent study by researchers from The Netherlands has examined blood samples of 22 persons and found plastic particles in 17 of them.

Key Findings

• Type of plastic:
  • About half of these were PET (polyethylene tertraphthalate) plastics, which is used to make food grade bottles. 
• Size: 
  • The size of the particles that the group looked for was as small as about 700 nanometres (equal to 0.0007 millimetres). 
  • This is really small and it remains to be seen if there is a danger of such particles crossing the blood cell walls and affecting the organs. 
• Plastics looked for in blood samples:
  • The study looked at the most commonly used plastic polymers. These were:
    • polyethylene terephthalate (PET), 
    • polyethylene (used in making plastic carry bags), 
    • polymers of styrene (used in food packaging), 
    • poly (methyl methylacrylate) and 
    • polypropylene. 
  • They found a presence of the first four types.
• Key results:
  • 77% of tested people (17 of the 22 persons) carried various amounts of microplastics above the limit of quantification. 
  • In 50% of the samples, the researchers detected PET particles. 
  • In 36%, they found the presence of polystyrene. 
  • 23% of polyethylene and 5% of poly(methyl methylacrylate) were also found. 
  • However, traces of poly propylene were not detected.
  • They found in each donor, on average, 1.6 microgram of plastic particles per millilitre of blood sample. 

Concerns related to Microplastics

• It is not yet clear if these microplastics can cross over from the bloodstream to deposit in organs and cause diseases. 
• The human placenta has shown to be permeable to tiny particles of polystyrene ( 50, 80 and 24 nanometre beads). 
• Experiments on rats where its lungs were exposed to polystryrene spheres (20 nanometre) led to translocation of the nanoparticles to the placental and foetal tissue. 
• Microplastics cause damage to human cells in the laboratory and air pollution particles are already known to enter the body and cause millions of early deaths a year.

Microplastics 

• Definition: 
  • Microplastics are tiny bits of various types of plastic found in the environment. 
  • They are non-degradable plastics and insoluble in water.
• Types:
  • Two classifications of microplastics currently exist. Primary microplastics are any plastic fragments or particles that are already 5.0 mm in size or less before entering the environment. These include microfibers from clothing, microbeads, and plastic pellets (also known as nurdles).
  • Secondary microplastics are microplastics that are created from the degradation of larger plastic products once they enter the environment through natural weathering processes. Such sources of secondary microplastics include water and soda bottles, fishing nets, and plastic bags.
• Sources of Microplastics:
  • Marine Environment 
  • Oxidation tank and sewage sludge
  • Cosmetics and make-up
  • Clothes and synthetic materials
  • Mobility and tyres
  • Navigation and fishing

Impact of Microplastics

• Polluting water channels: Rivers, water pipelines are being toxicated by the presence of microplastics in them. This water is used for cooking, drinking, washing etc.
• Harming Agriculture: Same river water is used for irrigation allowing these particles to enter crops and food.
• Alteration of the Food Chain: Once these substances reach the sea, they’re ingested by fauna (especially plankton, invertebrates, fish, seagulls, sharks, whales and dolphins) and can alter the food chain. 
• According to the environmental research institution ISPRA, 15 to 20 percent of marine species that end up on our tables contain microplastics.
• Genetic Modification Diseases in Humans: The pollutants released by microplastics can be ingested and absorbed by humans.  These can interfere with the human endocrine system and produce genetic modifications.

Initiative on Microplastics Pollution

• The government has set an ambitious target of eliminating single-use plastics by 2022.
• The Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016 clearly stipulate that urban local bodies (ULBs) should ban less than 50 micron thick plastic bags and not allow usage of recycled plastics for packing food, beverage or any other eatables.
  • Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules 2018 introduced the concept of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR).
• India and Norway have pledged to work together to address the issue of marine plastic litter and microplastics. 
• India is a signatory to MARPOL (International Convention on Prevention of Marine Pollution).
• Global efforts like “Beat Plastic Pollution” to address plastic pollution. 
• The Plastics Pacts are business-led initiatives to transform the plastics packaging value chain for all formats and products.

Way Ahead

• Governments, research institutions and industries  need to work collaboratively redesigning products, and rethink their usage and disposal, in order to reduce microplastics waste from pellets, synthetic textiles and tyres.
• Existing international legally binding instruments should be further explored to address plastic pollution.

Source: TH