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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...

Research has characterized how polymer-based commercial tea bags release millions of nanoplastics and microplastics when infused. The study shows for the first time the capacity of these particles to be absorbed by human intestinal cells, and are thus able to reach the bloodstream and spread throughout the body. Plastic waste pollution represents a critical environmental challenge with increasing implications for the well-being and health of future generations. Food packaging is a major source of micro and nanoplastic (MNPLs) contamination and inhalation and ingestion is the main route of human exposure. A study has successfully obtained and characterized micro and nanoplastics...

We breathe, eat and drink tiny particles of plastic. But are these minuscule specks in the body harmless, dangerous or somewhere in between? A small study published Wednesday in the New England Journal of Medicine raises more questions than it answers about how these bits—microplastics and the smaller nanoplastics—might affect the heart. The study involved 257 people who had surgery to clear blocked blood vessels in their necks. Italian researchers analyzed the fatty buildup that the surgeons removed from the carotid arteries, which supply blood and oxygen to the brain. Using two methods, they found evidence of plastics—mostly invisible nanoplastics—in...

Of 85 products tested, a popular organic pasta product had the highest levels These chemicals have been linked to cancer and other serious health conditions READ MORE: Average water bottle contains 240k pieces of nanoplastics 'Forever chemicals' linked to cancer are found in virtually every food product sold in American stores, a shocking report suggests. The watchdog Consumer Reports tested 85 everyday items for the presence of phthalates and bisphenols, two types of PFAS chemicals used to make plastics. The researchers tried to make their sample size as broad as possible - testing water, soda, cereal, bread, meat, fish, condiments,...

Washington (AFP) – Bottled water is up to a hundred times worse than previously thought when it comes to the number of tiny plastic bits it contains, a new study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences said Monday. Using a recently invented technique, scientists counted on average 240,000 detectable fragments of plastic per liter of water in popular brands -- between 10-100 times higher than prior estimates -- raising potential health concerns that require further study. "If people are concerned about nanoplastics in bottled water, it's reasonable to consider alternatives like tap water," Beizhan Yan, an associate...