If you don't change this habit, microplastics will accumulate in your body.

Microplastics are a general term for small plastic particles less than 5mm in size. It's known that particles broken down to nanoscale can be toxic if absorbed by cells. While the specific hazards to humans have not been fully elucidated, caution is always advised. How can we prevent the accumulation of microplastics in our bodies?

 

Smokers should quit smoking first, as microplastics can be absorbed through cigarette filters. A single cigarette filter is made up of approximately 12,000 plastic synthetic fibers called cellulose acetate. While intended to filter out nicotine and tar, it also releases microplastics. Furthermore, cigarette butts containing cellulose acetate take up to 14 years to decompose. For the sake of the environment, quitting smoking is a good idea.

It is best not to drink bottled water in plastic containers if the expiration date is approaching. Bottled water may contain microplastics. Last year, a joint research team from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology and Nankai University in China announced the results of a study that detected an average of 166 million nanoplastics in 1 mL of bottled water sample. As time passes and bottled water ages, the microplastic content may increase. A study by the University of British Columbia in Canada found that people who only drink water in plastic containers ingest approximately 90,000 more microplastics per year. People who only drink tap water were confirmed to ingest approximately 4,000 more microplastics.

 

Even if you enjoy seafood, it's best to avoid mollusks like octopus, cuttlefish, squid, and clams, as well as crustaceans like crab and shrimp. These creatures filter small prey from the sand and even inhale microplastics. According to the results of a meta-analysis of about 50 studies related to the level of microplastic pollution conducted between 2014 and 2020 by a research team at Hull York Medical School in the UK, Squid, mussels, and oysters had the highest microplastic content, at 0–10.5 MPs/g. . Crustaceans contained 0.1–8.6 MPs/g, and fish contained 0–2.9 MPs/g.

 

 

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Recently, microplastics in bottled water were found to affect blood pressure.

It was an issue... the microplastics story keeps coming up.

 

Among sensory fish, squid, mussels, and oysters are said to contain more.

They're delicious... but it's getting harder and harder to eat them.

 

If you drink bottled water, you should definitely check the expiration date.