Microplastic Pollution is not only found in oceans and marine life; according to a study, microplastic particles have infiltrated the very air we breathe.
The study’s authors proposed a model explaining how microplastic particles from the air settle in the human upper respiratory tract and affect their respiratory health.
Mohammad Islam, the study’s author and a materials engineer at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia, stated that the density of microplastic particles in the air is significantly increasing.
Research has found that microplastic particles are deep within the human respiratory tract, raising serious concerns about respiratory health hazards.
Microplastic particles have appeared in the air.
The Movement of Microplastics within the Human Airways
According to researchers, on average, a person can inhale 16.2 microplastic bits every hour. Therefore, the amount of microplastics we inhale in one week is enough to create a plastic credit card.
The researchers examined the movement of microplastic particles of various shapes in a model of the human lungs, demonstrating both slow and fast breathing conditions. They found that when these particles enter the human body, they begin to accumulate in the nasal cavity or the back of the throat.
The airways in these body parts are asymmetrical, which helps prevent microplastics from traveling further. Mr. Islam suggested that the flow rate, inertia of the microplastic particles, and the asymmetry of these parts affect the overall deposition and increase the concentration of microplastic deposits in the nasal cavity and pharyngeal region.
They also discovered that larger particles tend to deposit more in the airways than smaller ones. For instance, the largest microplastic particles, at 5.56 µm, are more likely to settle in the airways.
Another interesting finding is that the deposition rate of microplastics in the human body is lower under fast breathing conditions, while deposition increases when airflow slows down in the airways.
Understanding the flow of microplastic particles in the airways is crucial as it may enable scientists to develop effective drug delivery systems targeting these pollutants in the human body.
Threats from Airborne Microplastic Pollution
Microplastics in the air originate from degrading plastic items and moving tires. Both contain harmful chemicals that can adversely affect human health.
For example, debris from petroleum-based plastic products like PVC pipes and nylon cords may even contain chemical agents that cause cancer.
Similarly, pollutants in worn tire particles negatively impact the quality of soil, water, and air.
A report from CNN revealed that microplastics from tires are one of the primary contributors to harmful PM 2.5 air pollution levels in many places worldwide.
Breathing such polluted air increases the risk of asthma, stroke, bronchitis, and other heart and lung disorders, ultimately reducing the average human lifespan.
Only by understanding the flow of microplastics in the human body and their impact on various organs can we devise solutions to this problem. The current study represents an important first step in that direction.
YuanTong Gu, one of the study authors, stated: “This research highlights the need for greater awareness of the presence and potential health impacts of microplastics in the air we breathe.”
The researchers plan to further investigate the movement of microplastic particles in more complex human lung models in the future.
The study was published in the journal Physics of Fluids.
