A recent study published in the journal Environmental Science and Technology reveals that Malaysia ranks among the top 10 countries with the highest levels of airborne microplastic inhalation, with an estimated 494,000 microplastic particles per person each day.
The country ranks highest among 109 nations in terms of microplastic absorption. The study notes that over 50% of Malaysia’s microplastic absorption comes from fish.
The report states: “According to our research, industrialized countries… lead the globe in microplastic absorption levels, stemming from high seafood consumption.”
Plastic pollution in the ocean. (Photo: Shutterstock).
Microplastics – plastic particles smaller than 5 mm – are commonly found in freshwater and marine environments, where they are ingested by organisms and subsequently consumed by humans.
According to Professor Xiang Zhao from the National Defense Medical Center of China, the author of the study, industrial development has led to increasing levels of plastic pollution.
Co-author Fengqi You, a professor of energy systems engineering at Cornell University in the U.S., shares this viewpoint. Both state: “Microplastics in food are related to substances accumulated from plastic use in the production, processing, and packaging of products.”
“Meanwhile, airborne microplastics primarily originate from the abrasion of plastic materials, such as those found in tires and the breakdown of aquatic plastic particles.”
Illustration of how microplastics enter the food chain. (Photo: Shutterstock).
The study indicates that the primary source of microplastics in seafood comes from plastic waste released from poorly managed landfills or open dumps. These plastic particles can contaminate freshwater and saltwater systems, subsequently dispersing through water currents or being transmitted through the air, infiltrating the food chain.
According to the research, microplastic absorption in the air and diet has increased more than sixfold from 1990 to 2018 across Asia, Africa, and the Americas, including China and the U.S.
The authors suggest that by removing 90% of global underwater plastic debris, microplastic absorption could be reduced by over 48% in Southeast Asian countries, which account for a significant portion of the world’s microplastic absorption.
