Microplastics in the Air May Be Linked to Increased Risk of Colon Cancer: Study Finds
A review of some 3,000 studies suggests that minute plastic air particles may cause serious health problems. These include male and female infertility, colon cancer and poor lung function. The particles also may contribute to chronic pulmonary inflammation, which can increase the risk of lung cancer. The findings are published in environmental science and technology.
“These microplastics are basically particulate matter air pollution, and we know this type of air pollution is harmful,” said Tracey J. Woodruff, PhD, MPH, a professor of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive sciences at UCSF.
Microplastics are less than 5 millimeters – smaller than a grain of rice – and they are ubiquitous in the environment. Each year, companies around the world produce nearly 460 million metric tons of plastic. That is projected to reach 1.1 billion by 2050.
A major source of plastic in the air is driving. Friction wears down tires along with the road surface, sending plastic fragments into the air. The paper is the first systematic review of microplastics using gold standard methods approved by the National Academy of Sciences.
Most of the studies in the review were based on animals. But the researchers said the conclusions likely also apply to humans since they share many of the same exposures.
Reference: Effects of Microplastic Exposure on Human Digestive, Reproductive, and Respiratory Health: A Rapid Systematic Review, Nicholas Chartres, Courtney B. Cooper, Garret Bland, Katherine E. Pelch, Sheiphali A. Gandhi, Abena BakenRa, and Tracey J. Woodruff, Environmental Science & Technology Article ASAP, DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c09524
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