<
https://theconversation.com/microplastics-are-common-in-homes-across-29-countries-new-research-shows-whos-most-at-risk-189051>
"The evidence is clear: microplastics have contaminated every corner of the
globe. We can’t escape exposure to these tiny bits of plastic (less than 5mm
across) in the environment, which includes the homes where people spend most of
their time.
Recent research has discovered microplastics in the blood of humans. However,
the question of harm to humans remains unresolved. Despite concerns that some
substances in microplastics could cause cancer or damage our DNA, we still have
a poor grasp of the true risks of harm.
Our study of global microplastics exposure inside homes across 29 countries,
published today, shows people living in lower-income countries and young
children are at greater risk of exposure. But our analysis of the chemical
composition of microplastics in the home shows the specific health risk is
surprisingly low. The study covered all the continents, including Australia.
The current challenge in understanding health risks from microplastics is the
very limited data on toxic effects of the petrochemicals used in plastics
production.
A recurrent theme in the environmental health research literature is that early
concerns about suspect chemicals and related compounds, including those found
in plastics, were eventually justified. The effects of suspect substances only
become clear after extensive toxicological and epidemiological research."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
