Humans inhale 2,675 indoor airborne microplastic particles per year

Microplastics in indoor air are being inhaled by humans at unprecedented levels, according to a study led by Australian scientists. Academic research papers show that living indoors does not guarantee protection from these particles in outdoor environments.

indoor microplastics

(Photo: Photography: Gaston Brito Miserocchi/Getty Images)

The study was published in the journal Environmental Science and Technology In December 2022, researchers at Griffith University in Brisbane, Australia explored airborne microplastics in indoor and outdoor environments in developing South Asian countries.

Griffith’s team asserts that people may be exposed to thousands of airborne microplastics indoors each year. The assessment follows the team’s investigation into the abundance, distribution, form and potential sources of microplastics in the aforementioned environments in Sri Lanka, where they found indoor concentrations of microplastics were 1 to 28 times higher.

The researchers calculated that the average annual exposure per person to microplastic particles in the air was 2,675 per person. physical organization.

Also read: Microplastics Found in 75% of Fish for Human Consumption: Is Eating Seafood Still Healthy?

What are microplastics?

Microplastics are “small pieces of plastic” less than 5 mm in length that pose a threat to Earth’s oceans and aquatic life, State Oceanic Administration National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

According to multiple studies, these small plastic particles have increased over the past few decades, making their way into environments such as the ocean, and even the air we breathe, as well as inside our bodies.

Plastic is the most common type of marine debris found in our oceans and the Great Lakes; plastic debris can come in all shapes and sizes, according to NOAA. Some of these plastics, which are smaller than microplastics, are called nanoplastics, which measure 100 nanometers or less.

According to the U.S. government agency, undisclosed knowledge and information about microplastics is an emerging area of ​​research because so little is known about these particles and their effects. To that end, NOAA’s Marine Litter Program is actively researching the topic.

In particular, approaches are being taken to learn more about microplastics, such as collecting samples of sediment, sand and surface water that contain these small fragments. According to reports, scientists estimate that plastic may take hundreds of years to fully decompose.

plastic pollution

Plastic pollution is also a relatively emerging issue, as it is a new field of research as mentioned earlier. Against this backdrop, scientists are still researching and testing ways to quantify and even address the planet’s plastic crisis.

The problem has nothing to do with the nature of the plastic itself, but with the significant excess of all plastic particles associated with plastic production and plastic demand. Specifically, the scientists say that much of this material is not being recycled, contributing to the aforementioned gap.

according to United Nations Environment Program (UNEP)by 2050, global primary plastic production is estimated to reach 1.1 billion tons, and this will be the case if the historic growth in plastic production since the 1970s continues.

From water to shampoo bottles and protective packaging, plastic has become an integral part of our everyday lives. However, systemic changes are needed to stem the flow of plastic waste into the environment, the UN Environment Program added.

related articles: 4 Million Pounds of Microplastics Found in Coral, Killing Fish Tissue