Microplastics in the air could be a potential threat to respiratory health - Photo: REUTERS
Plastic is a major environmental issue of our time, appearing everywhere from our drinking water systems to our bloodstreams. Tiny microplastic particles enter our bodies not only through the food and water we eat, but also through the air we breathe.
In a new study, scientists at the University of Toulouse (France) quantified how much microplastic we may be breathing in every day. The team took and analyzed 16 indoor air samples from their own apartments and cars, using Raman spectroscopy to measure the concentration of microplastics suspended in them.
According to ScienceAlert on July 31, the average concentration of air samples in apartments was 528 microplastic particles/ m3 and in cars was 2,238 particles/ m3 . Of these particles, 94% were smaller than 10 micrometers, which is small enough to penetrate deep into lung tissue when inhaled.
Combining the results of the study with previous studies, the team estimates that adults inhale nearly 71,000 microplastic particles from these environments every day, including 68,000 microplastic particles smaller than 10 micrometers.
This concentration is 100 times higher than previous estimates.
"People spend an average of 90% of their time indoors, including at home, at work, in shops, in their cars... and during that time, they are exposed to microplastic pollution without even knowing it," the study authors said.
The exact impact of microplastics on the body is not yet clear, but scientists suspect they are not good. Recent studies have shown that microplastics may increase the risk of certain cancers, reproductive problems, strokes and a host of other health problems.
The researchers stressed that more research is needed to understand the biological effects of microplastics, as well as how we can limit our exposure to them.
The study was published in the journal PLOS One .
Source: https://tuoitre.vn/nghien-cuu-gay-soc-con-nguoi-hit-hon-70-000-hat-vi-nhua-moi-ngay-trong-nha-20250731122134355.htm
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