Plastic products have become part and parcel of our life. However, are we mindful about health hazards caused by plastic? We have taken plastic substances for granted and are unaware of its highly poisonous and toxic long-term effects on our health and future generations. Knowingly or unknowingly, we are inhaling, consuming, and absorbing plastic through our respiratory system, digestive tract, and skin surface. Studies record that an average person could be ingesting approximately 5 grams of plastic every week. It is our primary concern to be alert regarding bioaccumulation and biomagnification of plastic microparticles in our body.
What is bioaccumulation and biomagnification?
Bioaccumulation is defined as the increase of contaminant concentrations in organisms following the uptake of contaminant from the environmental source. Different sources of exposure contribute to contaminant bioaccumulation. Bioaccumulation of contaminants takes place in a single organism over the span of its life, resulting in a higher concentration of contaminant in older individuals. The higher the bioaccumulation, the higher the potential health hazards.
Biomagnification takes place as contaminants get transferred from lower trophic levels to higher trophic levels within a food web. This results in a higher concentration of contaminants in the apex predators of the food chains. Humans are on the top of many food chains.
What are effects of plastic on our health?
• Plastic particles gain new physical and chemical properties when they break down. This increases the risk of toxic effects on organisms.
• Plastic surfaces act as vessels for pathogens to enter our system which increases the spread of contagious diseases.
• Plastic combustion produces persistent organic pollutants (POPs) that move around our planet via wind currents. These chemicals are linked to the development of asthma, endocrine disruption, and cancer.
• Plastic additives such as phthalates and bisphenol A (BPA) leach out into the surrounding soil and water resources during the decomposition stage at landfills and sewages. These carcinogenic additives cause hormonal imbalance effect and disrupt the hormone system of vertebrates as well as invertebrates. In humans, health problems such as low testosterone levels, decrease in sperm counts, and reduction in male and female fertility are being observed.
• Plastic small particles can pass into the bloodstream and cause cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases.
• Plastic nano-sized particles cause inflammation, traverse cellular barriers, and even cross highly selective membranes such as the blood-brain barrier or the placenta leading to haemorrhage, cognitive impairment, and pre-natal deaths.
• Plastic micro- and nano- particles can easily enter the cells of our body. They can trigger changes in gene composition, gene expression, and biochemical reactions.
(picture courtesy: health effects of plastic pollution – Bing images)
