Microplastics thrown into the air from degrading tires, clothing, and other items may be contributing to cases of lung and colon cancer, as well as male and female reproductive issues, new research suggests. Researchers at UC San Francisco reviewed some 3,000 studies of humans and animals, largely mice, to try to gauge how microplastics may be harming human health. Aware that lung and colon cancers are on the rise, they particularly looked at the effects of microplastics on the colon and lungs, while also keeping an eye out for biological mechanisms tied to cancer, such as chronic inflammation and an imbalance of antioxidants, per the Washington Post.
"We concluded that microplastics are 'suspected' to harm human reproductive, digestive, and respiratory health, with a suggested link to colon and lung cancer," according to the study published Wednesday in the journal Environmental Science and Technology. Researchers found evidence of "moderate" or "high" quality that microplastic exposure adversely impacts sperm quality, ovarian follicles, and female reproductive hormones. In the animal studies, they also found a link between microplastics and high levels of chronic inflammation—an early predictor of cancer—in both the lungs and colon, per the Sydney Morning Herald.
While some have criticized the drawing of human health assumptions based on data from mice, others argue the study is one of the most up-to-date assessments of microplastics available. That argument is echoed by lead study author Dr. Nicholas Chartres of the University of Sydney, who warns "we are going to have one of the great human crises in the next 20 or 30 years" unless "we ban all single-use, nonessential plastic." On the bright side, a recent study out of China's Wuhan University found a biodegradable sponge made out of chitin from squid bones and cellulose from cotton removed up to 99.9% of microplastics from water samples, CNN reports. (More microplastics stories.)
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