(NewsNation) –From proteins to our bloodstream, America has a microplastics problem.
Researchers have found that these pollutants can cause health problems and they have been linked to several diseases, including heart disease.
Unfortunately, the source of microplastics It’s unclear and they’re almost impossible to avoid.
What are microplastics?
Microplastics are small pieces of plastic about the size of a grain of sand or a strand of human hair, which pose a range of potential health risks.
Because they often come from the decomposition of plastics, microplastics can be made from chemicals such as BPA and chemicals such as phthalates, he said. Tracey WoodruffPhD, professor of obstetrics and gynecology and reproductive sciences at UC San Francisco.
Microplastics can include chemicals that not much is known about because the government does not require comprehensive safety testing for chemicals used in plastics and other materials, Woodruff said.
She added that microplastics can disrupt the body’s chemical messengers that control reproduction, growth and metabolism – increasing the risk of cancer, infertility and poorer fetal development.
Where are microplastics commonly found?
An environmental pollution to study reviewed a wide range of meat, fish and vegetarian meat alternatives, finding that 88% of them contained some form of microplastics.
Based on Americans’ annual protein consumption habitsscientists have found that the average American ingests 11,500 microplastics per year – with the biggest protein consumers consuming up to 3.8 million plastic fragments and fibers.
A study by researchers at the University of New Mexico found microplastics in testicular tissue of humans and dogsa discovery they say adds to growing concerns about how microplastics could impact human reproductive health.
According to an article published in the magazine “Toxicological Sciences”, the research team found 12 types of microplastics in 47 canine and 23 human testicles.
The researchers also found evidence of microplastics in people’s bloodstreams.
How do you limit the dangers of microplastics?
To avoid microplastics and other toxins in food, Woodruff suggests not putting plastic in the microwave because “heat causes plastic to release harmful chemicals like BPA.”
The Common Earth recommends consume seafood from “sustainable sources” and tested for microplastics and consume smaller fish, as larger fish tend to accumulate more microplastics. The agency also suggests finding companies that add recycled plastic from ocean waste instead of virgin plastic.
Woodruff also recommends using glass or steel water bottles plasticpurchasing organic foods to reduce exposure to pesticides and reducing red meat consumption.
Additionally, Woodruff suggests using baking soda and water or vinegar and water to clean your home.
“A good recipe is one part vinegar to one part water – just don’t mix it with chemical cleaning products like bleach, which can create deadly chlorine gas,” she said.
This story originally appeared on thehill.com read the full story
