Microplastics found in Human Brain Tissue
Kartavya Desk Staff
Syllabus: Environment
Source: The Guardian
Context: Studies reveal alarming levels of microplastics in human brain tissue, underscoring the urgent need to address plastic pollution.
About Microplastics:
• Microplastics are defined as synthetic solid particles sized ranging from 1 micrometre to 5 millimetres (mm), which are insoluble in water.
• They are particularly harmful to the oceans as they don’t readily break down into harmless molecules and adversely affect the health of marine organisms, which mistake plastic for food.
Key findings:
• Microplastics in Brain Tissue: Detected in brain samples at higher concentrations than other organs.
• Health Risks: Linked to oxidative stress, cardiovascular issues, and potential cognitive impairments.
• Environmental Ubiquity: Found in various human organs including lungs, placentas, and reproductive organs.
• Regulatory Gaps: No current standards for microplastics in food or water in the US.
• Rising Levels: The concentration of microplastics in the brain has increased over time.
• Animal Studies: Show links to fertility issues, cancer, and endocrine disruption.
• The concentration of plastic particles including microplastics in the ocean has skyrocketed in the oceans since the mid-2000s, and it continues to increase.
• If the world fails to take any drastic action about the issue, there will be a 2.6-fold increase in plastic flowing into aquatic environments by 2040.
Microplastics Impact
• On Humans: Cancer, endocrine and immune system disruption, brain cell damage, impaired learning, negative maternal and fetal health effects.
• On Aquatic Ecosystems: Bioaccumulation, immune and digestive system compromise, altered gene expression, growth inhibition.
• On Benthic Organisms: Disrupts trophic energy transfer and nutrient remineralization.
• On Environment: Enters food chains, and accelerates soil water evaporation.
Mechanisms:
• Mechanical: Lacerations and blockages in organisms.
• Chemical: Leaching of absorbed chemicals like DDT and PCBs; disruption of the ocean carbon cycle.
Initiatives Taken to tackle microplastics:
Global Initiatives:
• Global Partnership on Marine Litter (GPML)
• GloLitter Partnerships Project
• London Convention, 1972
India-Specific Initiatives:
• Elimination of single-use plastic
• Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016
• Un-Plastic Collective
Insta Links:
• Scientists detect ‘microplastics’ in the human heart for the first time: Report
• Microplastics in Ganga