In 2019, over 370 million tonnes of plastics were produced worldwide. Microplastics (MPs), which mostly enter the human body by ingestion, inhalation, and skin contact, are one of the byproducts of plastics that humans will inevitably be exposed to due to their extensive use. Once ingested, MPs may cross cell membranes and go to various bodily locations, activating particular cellular processes.
As a result, the potential health damage brought on by the internalization and buildup of MPs is a significant worry, as shown by several studies revealing harmful effects in a range of animal models, marine creatures, and human cell lines.
According to a recent study that was published in Polymers, microplastics have been discovered in human breast milk for the first time.
A pilot observational cohort study was done. In Rome, 34 healthy moms' breast milk samples were collected one week after giving birth and were examined by Raman Microspectroscopy (RMS) by the research team. RMS was used as it can analyze as small as ~2 µm microplastics directly on filtration membranes due to the high potential of light scattering. The breast milk was collected by manual method to produce the maximum milk output and to prevent pain or injury to the breast tissue as suggested by the World Health Organization and detailed in a paper provided by the Italian Ministry of Health. Breast pumps were not permitted to prevent contamination from their plastic components.
Of the 34 women tested, MP contamination was detected in the breast milk of 26 women.
In addition to keeping track of the mothers' usage of plastic-containing personal hygiene products, the researchers also noted how much food and drink they consumed from plastic packaging. The authors of the study note that because microplastics are so pervasive in the environment, human exposure to them is unavoidable. However, they were unable to find an association with the presence of microplastics in breast milk.
The research published in the journal Environment International, that "the presence of potentially harmful plastic particles is a matter of great concern due to the crucial role of the placenta that helps in the fetus's development and acts as an interface with the external environment. To determine if the presence of microplastics could affect people by inducing immunological responses or releasing harmful pollutants, more research is required.
They claimed that impaired fetal growth is one of the potential consequences of microplastics on fetuses. The particles were not discovered in the placentas of the two other study participants, which the researchers speculated may be due to their differing physiologies, diets, or lifestyles.
The evidence that microplastics are present in breast milk, according to Dr. Valentina Notarstefano of the Università Politecnica Delle Marche in Italy, "therefore reinforces our huge concern for the particularly susceptible group of infants." She emphasized the importance of looking into strategies to minimize exposure to these pollutants throughout pregnancy and lactation. However, it is important to note that the advantages of breastfeeding outweigh the negative effects caused by the presence of contaminated microplastics.
In another recent study, it was discovered that nanoparticles of plastic inhaled by pregnant laboratory rats were discovered in the liver, lungs, heart, kidney, and brain of the fetuses. Therefore, it is important to reduce the use of microplastics to save not just the health of fetuses or pregnant women but each and every individual, and the environment.
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