MAxi und Charlie, Mikroplastikpartikel auf dem Weg in unsere Nahrungskette

Do I want to eat microplastics?

13. January 2021

Die Mund-Naseschutz-Maske: Ein Müllproblem lauert.

The mask: From lifesaver to environmental problem?!

23. January 2021

20. January 2021

Microplastics: How dangerous are they?

Praktikantin Annika - Auf den Spuren von Mikroplastik

At the end of my mini-series "Maxi and Charlie" for the blog of Wasser 3.0, I ask myself if I would also deal with the topic of microplastics if I had not become active as an intern at Wasser 3.0. I certainly wouldn't! And that is disturbing given the facts I've learned over the past few weeks.

Annika Richter

Microplastics are so small

that you can't see them most of the time. The plastic particles are clearly visible in toothpaste, for example, or even in cosmetics, such as scrubs. Last week, our

microplastic experts

Maxi and Charlie reported on

definition and different types of microplastic

. Today, they want to share

where microplastics can be found all around you

, what impact it can have on you, and what you can do against it.

Places where you
wouldn´t expect microplastics

Sports fields, cosmetics, clothing - it's not just there that

microplastics

are found, but literally everywhere. They are in the air we breathe. One study showed that humans ingest about 100 microplastic particles per meal. The main component of these microplastic particles comes from the air.

In water

To date, it is not scientifically and comprehensively clarified how

microplastics get into tap and drinking water

. Scientists assume several ways. One way

microplastic particles

enter the water is via the atmosphere.

MAxi und Charlie - Mikroplastikpartikel im Wasser

For example, synthetic fiber particles enter the air and ultimately precipitation, surface and groundwater via laundry dryers or venting systems. In addition to these possible factors, the materials used in our water systems may also be a

cause of microplastics in tap water

. To date, microplastics cannot be filtered out of water completely. The microscopically small particles pass even the finest currently known water filters and thus get almost unstoppable into our drinking water.

Microplastics have also been found in bottled water

. The nonprofit organization Orb Media has found in a study that most well-known

branded waters contain microplastic particles

.

The reason is that the internationally sourced mineral waters are also contaminated with microplastics and filtering cannot remove 100% of the microplastic particles. The material of the bottles and caps can also cause the microplastic pollution in the mineral water. With the water,

microplastic then enters our body

In soil

MAxi und Charlie - Mikroplastikpartikel im Boden

Microplastics are in the soil

where our food grows. The microplastic particles get there through sewage sludge and compost, which are popular fertilizers. Microplastics enter

sewage sludge

through wastewater, as some of the microplastic load cannot be removed at the wastewater treatment plant. If the sewage sludge is not used as fertilizer, a large amount of

microplastics from our wastewater treatment plants

enters our environment through the treated water. However, this is a different problem that we will not address today. (If you want to know more about this, we refer you to the Wasser 3.0 publications.

The tiny plastic particles also get into the soil through tire abrasion and inadequate disposal of plastic waste. In soil

microplastic particles reduce the stability

of soil aggregates. Especially as

fibers, microplastics have major effects

. They change the pore space and thus influence the water flows in the soil.

In our food

microplastic are in the soil and water

, they also get into the food we eat. Microplastics are especially present in fish, shellfish, sea salt and drinking water. Filamentous plastic particles have been found in mussels from different coastal regions and shellfish from stores. In countries like Malaysia, food sources like shrimp farms and plastic landfills exist side by side. So no one can say for sure that plastic is not getting into food.

It has been known for years that microplastics are also in the ocean. Every year, about 400,000 tons of microplastics enter the sea. Microplastics are everywhere, it is one of our constant companions (more information is also available in the microplastic fact book and whitepaper).

In our bodies

The big question: What are the effects of microplastics in us - on us?

How do microplastics affect us, our bodies and our health

?

Back in 2018, microplastics were detected in human stool samples. Traces of microplastics have also been detected in the human placenta.

While long-term effects of plastic particles in the human organism are not yet known, it has already been found that microplastics can accumulate between the body's own cells and cause inflammation there. These can cause chronic diseases such as cancer or cirrhosis of the liver. Likewise, disturbances in cell communication can occur.

We deliberately write can do so here, as there is still a lack of scientifically sound evidence in this regard. The major problem is still the lack of a uniform procedure for determining microplastics in environmental samples and in our bodies. Only when standards bodies adopt uniform measurement methods can all data collected - after being measured again - be confirmed or refuted. What is scientifically confirmed, however, is the negative environmental relevance of microplastics because they act as a matrix (transport vector) for hazardous and toxic substances, so-called micropollutants. This means that these substances spread rapidly in the environment with the microplastics. This has been proven and demonstrated and can be found in the Wasser 3.0 publications.

And what can I do now?

A big factor of microplastic production is clothing. As a customer I can consciously make sure when buying my clothes that they do not contain synthetic materials such as nylon or polyester. This is not easy, because after all, about 60% of our clothes contain polyester. And unlike from natural fabrics such as cotton, plastic fibers and particles dissolve from them, which then end up in the wastewater. When washing synthetic fabrics, I can take care not to wash them hotter than 40° Celsius, because temperatures above 60° Celsius promote the dissolution of microplastics. Fabric softener also supports microplastics to be released. As an alternative to fabric softener, I can turn to the natural products vinegar and citric acid. As a consumer, I can also make sure in cosmetics that products such as scrubs or makeup do not contain ingredients such as polyethylene or polyquaternium.

A well-known tip is to separate waste. Rightly so, because properly separated garbage can be disposed of properly and recycled better. Even worse than garbage that is not separated is plastic waste in the environment - the big no-go that unfortunately still happens. If plastics get into nature, they decompose very slowly, releasing microplastics and other harmful added substances like plasticizers.

According to the World Health Organizationo WHO, there are currently not enough scientific results available to make an informed statement about the potentially harmful effects of microplastics. So everyone must assess this for themselves. In the end, the question is: How much am I at risk?

Annika will stay with us for a while as an intern and will deal with the facets of science communication as part of her project work. We are excited about her findings and results and look forward to our joint reflection and thematic discussion. She and we will also report on it as part of this blog.

Do you have suggestions for us, have you come across an error or have a question? Then we welcome your message. You can find our infographics for free download here.