Posted on 02/02/2025 9:56:03 AM PST by ConservativeMind
Microplastics, which are less than 5 millimeters, and nanoplastics, which are invisible to the naked eye, are widespread throughout our environment. Research has shown exposure to plastics in general is harmful to both the environment and humans.
Now, researchers will unveil findings that suggest microplastics and nanoplastics have been found in higher concentrations in the placentas of infants born prematurely compared to those born at term.
Researchers used highly sensitive mass spectrometry to analyze 175 placentas; 100 placentas collected at term and 75 collected preterm (less than 37 weeks of pregnancy).
"Advanced technology now enables us to accurately measure microplastics in ways we haven't been able to in the past," says Kjersti Aagaard, MD, Ph.D., MSCI.
Researchers found that the levels of microplastics and nanoplastics were significantly higher in preterm placenta and they were at much greater levels than previously measured in human blood. This led the investigators to conclude that plastics were likely accumulating in the placenta during pregnancy, with a greater exposure and accumulation occurring in cases of preterm birth.
"The finding of higher placental concentrations among preterm births was surprising because it was counterintuitive to what you might expect if it was merely a byproduct of the length of time of the pregnancy," says Enrico R. Barrozo, Ph.D.
"In other words, a preterm delivery not only accumulated more microplastics and nanoplastics in its placenta relative to term, but did so at an earlier time point in the pregnancy," added Aagaard.
"This hints at the possibility that the accumulation of plastics could be contributing to the risk and occurrence of preterm birth. When combined with other recent research, this study adds to the growing body of evidence, ranging from heart disease to potentially stroke, that demonstrates a real risk of exposure to plastics on human health and disease."
(Excerpt) Read more at medicalxpress.com ...
https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/microplastics.html
Plastic is the most prevalent type of marine debris found in our ocean and Great Lakes. Plastic debris can come in all shapes and sizes, but those that are less than five millimeters in length (or about the size of a pencil eraser) are called “microplastics.”
As an emerging field of study, not a lot is known about microplastics and their impacts yet. The NOAA Marine Debris Program is leading efforts within NOAA to research this topic. Standardized field methods for collecting sediment, sand, and surface-water microplastic samples have been developed and continue to undergo testing.
Waxed cartons are fine; they do cost a bit more than plastic as I remember being taught (I’m in medical not food packaging).
Most of the cartons I have seen today are hot form/fill/seal single serving. That’s the kids’ juice and milk cartons you find unrefrigerated.
Larger containers (gallon jugs) are blow molded usually from polypropylene. They’re very thin and use little material. That’s why they’re used now (but you can’t hot fill for sterility).
A lot of what we eat is not ‘recognized’ by the body, like cellulose (a plastic, can you believe that) that is found in abundance in ‘healthy’ foods. It’s in no way harmfull, it just transits and goes out by the bottom.
Transfat is, like all fats, quite digestible. It’s supposedly harmfull not because it’s not ‘recognized’ but probably (there is no solid physiology mechanism behind that, just some doubts based on some epidemiological observations, ie the lowest of scientific evidence) because it’s an unsaturated fat and hence more oxydable and more inflammatory.
I did not see any definition of “high” in the source. It just said “higher” than in the blood.
Means little.
The air pressure at the top of Mount Everest is much higher than the air pressure at 30,000 feet.
Higher or Lower are relative terms. It is a way of lying with statistics.
I would love to see absolute numbers if someone can find them for this article.
Right, but I was asking about the size of the particles.
I’ll stay away from margarine and other trans fats; butter seems much more natural and healthy:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27215959/
Almost all food is in plastic now. Even our clothes are plastic.
Bar soap, too. Now we have body wash and hand soap in bazillions of plastic bottles.
Also laundry detergent. It used to be powder in a cardboard box.
Yes. You can still find this kind of packaging, but it’s often used in cheaper and inferior products.
>> Research has shown exposure to plastics in general is harmful to both the environment and humans. <<
Not really. It’s basically a mere presumption. The author feels safe in making this assertion because some plastic somewhere has proven harmful; a big plastic bouncy ball lodged in your throat can’t be good, right? And it COULD be REALLY bad, maybe?
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