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Nanoplastics and microplastics (NMPs) are sneaky invaders, hiding in the tap water we drink every day. These tiny fragments of plastic have already been linked to unsettling changes in gut health and antibiotic resistance, raising alarm bells about their impact on our bodies. But here’s some refreshing news: scientists have discovered a surprisingly simple solution — boiling your water.<br /><h2>A kitchen hack for cleaner water</h2>Researchers, led by biomedical engineer Zimin Yu, have found that boiling water and then filtering it can remove up to 90% of nanoplastics and microplastics from tap water. “This simple boiling water strategy can 'decontaminate' NMPs from household tap water and has the potential for harmlessly alleviating human intake of NMPs through water consumption,” the team explains.<br /><br />Even better? You probably already have the tools you need in your kitchen: a pot to boil water and a simple stainless steel mesh to filter out any leftover bits.<br /><h2>How does it work?</h2>The trick lies in the build-up of limescale — or calcium carbonate — when water is heated. If you’ve ever peeked inside a kettle, you’ve seen this chalky layer. When water is boiled, calcium carbonate naturally precipitates out of the solution, forming a crust. This crust traps NMPs on its surface, making it easier to filter them out.<br /><br />“Our results showed that nanoplastic precipitation efficiency increased with increasing water hardness upon boiling,” the researchers write. For example, in soft water (low in calcium carbonate), the process managed to remove about 25% of NMPs. Meanwhile, in hard water (higher calcium carbonate levels), the process removed up to 90% of NMPs.<br /><h2>The harder the water, the better the results</h2>Hard water, often considered a nuisance because of limescale, might actually be a secret weapon against microplastics. The researchers found that the harder the water, the more effective the boiling process was at capturing and removing plastic fragments.<br /><br />In water containing 300 mg/L of calcium carbonate, NMP removal reached an impressive 90%. Even at lower levels, such as 80 mg/L, over a third of the plastics were filtered out.<br /><br />Using a simple tea strainer or other household filters, these lime-encrusted plastic fragments can be easily removed before the water is consumed.<br /><h2>Why it matters</h2>Microplastics aren’t just a problem for the planet — they’re becoming an intimate part of our daily lives. Previous studies have identified plastics like polystyrene, polyethylene, and polypropylene in drinking water. While the long-term effects on human health remain uncertain, the evidence suggests we’re better off without them.<br /><br />“Drinking boiled water apparently is a viable long-term strategy for reducing global exposure to NMPs,” the researchers say.<br /><br />For many, boiling water before drinking it is already a cultural norm. But the researchers hope their findings will encourage more people worldwide to adopt this practice as plastics continue infiltrating our water sources.<br /><br />The findings of this research have been published in <em>Environmental Science &amp; Technology Letters </em>and can be accessed <a href="https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.estlett.4c00081">here</a>.<br />

Worried about the harmful microplastics in your water? You just need to boil and strain it before consumption

We often think of skincare as a pampering ritual, an opportunity to nourish our skin and express our individuality. But as recent research from the University of Birmingham reveals, some of the popular “leave-on” products we use daily — like sunscreens, moisturisers, and lip balms — might be doing more harm than good. Specifically, <keyword id="19970180" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="microplastics" source="keywords">microplastics</keyword> in these products are flying under the radar, raising serious concerns about both environmental and health implications.<br /><br />While most regulatory frameworks have targeted rinse-off products — think face washes and shampoos—leave-on products have received scant attention. This oversight is alarming, especially considering that microplastics, which can be tiny plastic particles or fibres, are prevalent in many of our favorite skincare staples. Dr. Anna Kukkola, a researcher at the University of Birmingham, notes, “The contribution of ‘leave-on’ cosmetics to microplastic pollution is a critical, yet underexplored aspect of environmental contamination.”<br /><br />In their critical review, the researchers analysed 2,381 products and found that only two were classified as leave-on. This glaring gap can be attributed to several factors: the challenges in extracting microplastics from complex formulations and the prevailing public perception that the microplastic issue has been adequately addressed due to bans on rinse-off products. But the truth is, leave-on products could be significant contributors to the microplastic problem.<br /><h2><keyword id="19977451" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="health-risks" source="keywords">Health risks</keyword> of microplastics</h2>The health implications of daily exposure to microplastics in leave-on products remain largely uncharted territory. With limited research on how these particles interact with our skin after application, the potential for absorption into our bodies — through mechanisms such as hair follicles and sweat ducts — raises red flags. Dr. Kukkola emphasises this point, stating, “Given how much of these formulas our bodies can and do absorb, it is concerning that little to no research has taken place to investigate the associated health effects.”<br /><div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="114327120" title="An expert in how microplastics affect our health does 6 things to avoid them at home" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>Another critical insight from the study is the misuse of the term “microbeads.” Typically associated with rinse-off products, this term has been inaccurately applied to all microplastics in cosmetics, resulting in regulatory blind spots. This mislabeling has skewed global legislation towards rinse-off products, leaving a significant portion of the microplastic contamination from leave-on products unregulated.<br /><h2>Call for action and future research</h2>The researchers are not just pointing out problems; they are advocating for solutions. Collaborative efforts are underway to develop new methods for extracting and analysing microplastics in <keyword id="23630244" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="leave-on-cosmetics" source="keywords">leave-on cosmetics</keyword>. This initiative, spearheaded by Dr. Sophie Comer-Warner from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and Professor Iseult Lynch, aims to fill the critical knowledge gaps identified in the study.<br /><div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="114375709" title="Standing desks may not be a boon for health after all" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>Professor Lynch warns, “While the microplastics themselves might be relatively benign, a number of other chemicals are intrinsically bound into or onto the microplastics in complex leave-on formulations, including potentially PFAS, plasticisers, and other chemicals known to be either carcinogens or endocrine disruptors.”<br /><br />As we lather on our moisturisers and slather on <keyword id="19944313" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sunscreen" source="keywords">sunscreen</keyword>, it’s crucial to be aware of what we’re putting on our skin. The <keyword id="20724496" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="beauty-industry" source="keywords">beauty industry</keyword> is evolving, and with it, our understanding of safety and <keyword id="20224419" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="environmental-impact" source="keywords">environmental impact</keyword> must grow. It’s time to advocate for better regulations and more research on the unseen dangers of our beloved leave-on <keyword id="20521267" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="skincare-products" source="keywords">skincare products</keyword>. By staying informed and demanding transparency from manufacturers, we can ensure that our beauty routines don’t come at the expense of our health or the environment.<br /><br />The findings of this research have been published in the <em>Journal of Hazardous Materials </em>and can be accessed <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.135053">here</a>.

Popular leave-on cosmetics such as sunscreen and lip balms may pose a hidden microplastic risk, scientists warn

10 ways to reduce your microplastic intake at home

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Microplastics have been found in the human body in recent studies.</li><li>Scientists are trying to understand their potential negative effects on our health.</li></ul><p>An expert on how <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/guides/health/human-blood-microplastics">microplastics</a> affect our health shared how she reduces her exposure at home.</p><p>Professor Fay Couceiro leads a team at Portsmouth University, UK, that researches the potential health impacts of these fragments of plastic measuring less than five millimeters long. She told Business Insider that the study of microplastics initially started in marine biology. </p><p>Not only do microplastics harm marine ecosystems, they damage associated economies. An estimated<strong> </strong>$500 to $2,500 billion is lost annually because of how marine microplastics impact industries including fishing and recreation, according to a 2019 study by researchers at the Plymouth Marine Laboratory.</p><p>Once scientists found microplastics in all parts of the marine ecosystem, they discovered them everywhere else they thought to look, too, Couceiro said.</p><div type="image" title="A glass beaker with water and microplastics, held by someone in a white coat and plastic gloves." height="1414" width="2121" msid="114325882" hostid="261" sizebytes="53160"></div><p>Research suggests that microplastics could contribute to the development or worsening of health issues such as asthma, Couceiro said. A study released earlier this year, meanwhile, suggested <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/microplastics-risks-heart-attack-stroke-study-2024-3">microplastics increase the risks of stroke</a> and heart attacks. That's concerning, considering that microplastics have been found in <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/microplastics-found-in-human-testicles-what-to-do-2024-5">human blood, brains, and testicles</a>.</p><p>Although experts don't yet fully understand how <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/you-are-consuming-microplastics-how-much-what-to-know-risks-2022-4">microplastics</a> affect our health, Couceiro said that "it would be sensible to try to limit the number we expose ourselves to while we determine what the problems are."</p><p>Couceiro added that while legislation and wider systemic changes are needed to meaningfully reduce the number of microplastics we come into contact with, there are things we can do to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/expert-how-i-keep-baby-family-safe-toxic-plastic-microplastics-2023-1">reduce exposure</a> at home.</p><h2 id="af91ad2d-fdb9-4cc9-a1d1-4c2028bb7c07">Don't microwave food in a plastic container</h2><p>Couceiro tries to remove food from plastic packaging before microwaving it whenever she can. But she doesn't stress if this isn't possible when she eats out.</p><div type="image" title="A steaming Thai green curry in a microwaveable plastic pot." height="1414" width="2121" msid="114325879" hostid="261" sizebytes="121222"></div><p>Heating plastic means it breaks down more easily and can release microplastics into food, a 2023 study published in Environmental Science &amp; Technology found.</p><h2 id="d8db174e-3632-4810-87d9-0365d40b9dd6">Don't buy plastic clothes and carpets</h2><p>Couceiro recommends people buy clothes and carpets that aren't made from plastic.</p><p>"You don't have to go and replace all your clothes and carpets — especially not at the moment when things are so tight," she said. "But if something is starting to wear out, and you're thinking about buying a new one, look at what non-plastic alternatives are out there that you can afford."</p><p>She still has a few pieces of polyester clothing, which she plans to replace non-plastic items when the time comes.</p><h2 id="151047ca-b498-4803-8816-c2a5992dea67">Vacuum regularly</h2><p>"The more you vacuum, the less plastic will be in the air from your carpet," Couceiro said.</p><p>If you don't have much carpet in your home, don't worry about this one too much, she said.</p><h2 id="418e7f7a-deb6-41af-9b4b-24a2c93e90f1">Avoid plastic cookware</h2><div type="image" title="Wooden and ceramic kitchen utensils and bowls with a metal grater." height="1412" width="2124" msid="114325880" hostid="261" sizebytes="103910"></div><p>"When you see things like plastic spatulas melting and bubbling, there's little pieces of plastic coming off them," she said.</p><p>Where possible, Couceiro cooks with metal or wood cookware instead of plastic, and avoids buying plastic utensils.</p><h2 id="4cc175a5-ccca-4fe1-9305-a291d8397f47">Avoid really fluffy materials</h2><p>This can be tough with kids, so Couceiro just limits fluffy materials in her home rather than banning them.</p><p>But she's wary of them because they are more likely to be made of plastic fibers that shed easily.</p><h2 id="d6503b62-a0ec-48e9-8d00-de373ad69f39">Ventilate your home</h2><p>Couceiro likes to have fresh air in the house, and recommends ventilating your living space by opening windows to reduce the number of microplastics in the air.</p><p>But, she said, you have to make sure that you won't be undoing the benefits by allowing pollution into your home, which is more likely if you live near busy roads or in a city center.</p><p>Alternatively, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/guides/home/best-air-purifier">air purifiers</a> can help improve air quality if left running for long periods, she said.</p>

An expert in how microplastics affect our health does 6 things to avoid them at home

The way <keyword id="19970180" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="microplastics" source="keywords">microplastics</keyword> and <keyword id="20128857" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="nanoplastics" source="keywords">nanoplastics</keyword> have found a way to wriggle into every nook and cranny on Earth, they’ve also made their way into the human body. From human placentas to testicles, these pesky pollutants are everywhere! And earlier this year, scientists also found microplastics in the gunk that clogs your arteries. <em>Yep</em>.<br /><br />Their <a href="https://www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/NEJMoa2309822?logout=true">research</a> focused on 257 people undergoing a procedure to remove fatty deposits, called plaques, from their neck arteries. These plaques can narrow the arteries, restricting blood flow and potentially leading to <keyword id="21413421" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="cardiovascular-events" source="keywords">cardiovascular events</keyword>. Researchers examined the removed <keyword id="20594094" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="plaque" source="keywords">plaque</keyword> material and found a surprising result: over half (58%) contained microplastics and even smaller nanoparticles.<br />  <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="110327795" title="Plastic testes: Scientists analyse human testicles, find microplastics in every single one of them!" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>But the presence of plastic wasn't the only red flag. Participants with plastic in their plaques also had higher levels of inflammatory markers. Inflammation plays a crucial role in plaque buildup and blood clot formation, both major contributors to heart attacks and strokes.<br /><br />Furthermore, the study followed these participants for nearly three years after their plaque removal. Worryingly, those with plastic in their plaques were 4.5 times more likely to experience a heart attack, stroke or death compared to those without plastic.<br /><br />However, it's important to remember that this study doesn't definitively prove microplastics cause <keyword id="19898369" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="heart-disease" source="keywords">heart disease</keyword>. The participants with plastic in their plaques were also more likely to have other established risk factors like smoking, high blood pressure and diabetes.<br /><br /><h2>Experts weigh in</h2>Since microplastics are a relatively recent thing in the long history of humanity, scientists are still scratching the surface of the implications of plastic in the human body. In the meantime, many continue to believe that when they aren’t strangulating turtles or taking 500 years to decompose, plastics are nifty little things.<br /><br />However, the findings of this study throws a big class of cold water on these beliefs. While the study can't establish a direct cause-and-effect relationship, researchers believe it highlights a potential new risk factor that deserves further investigation. Previous studies on animals and human cells have already hinted at the potential harm microplastics can cause to the heart and circulatory system.<br /><br />Professor Bryan Williams of the British Heart Foundation finds the findings "concerning." He emphasises the importance of this research, suggesting <keyword id="19970182" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="plastic-pollution" source="keywords">plastic pollution</keyword> may be harming our hearts in ways we haven't fully understood.<br /><br /><h2>The bottom line</h2>The study has limitations. It focused on a relatively small group with pre-existing arterial narrowing, so the results may not be applicable to the general population. Additionally, it's difficult to completely rule out contamination during plaque analysis.<br /><br />More recently, another <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0304389424004345">study</a> conducted by Chinese researchers also found plastics like <keyword id="19953017" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="pet" source="keywords">PET</keyword>, followed by PA, <keyword id="20137591" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="pvc" source="keywords">PVC</keyword> and PE in three types of arteries, and linked it to the risk of atherosclerosis.<br /><br />While more research is undoubtedly needed, these studies raise important questions about the potential health risks of microplastics. Completely avoiding plastic exposure might be challenging, but there are well-established ways to reduce your risk of heart disease. These include maintaining a healthy weight, exercising regularly, and managing blood pressure and cholesterol.<br />  <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="108573451" title="Microplastics may pose risk to Indo-Gangetic plain: Study" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div><br />

Microplastics are clogging your arteries — and possibly increasing your risk of heart disease

All Indian <keyword id="19926225" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="salt" source="keywords">salt</keyword> and <keyword id="20109149" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sugar" source="keywords">sugar</keyword> brands, whether big or small, packaged or unpackaged, contain <keyword id="19970180" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="microplastics" source="keywords">microplastics</keyword>, according to a study published on Tuesday. The study, titled "Microplastics in Salt and Sugar" and conducted by the <keyword id="22774411" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="environmental-research-organisation" source="keywords">environmental research organisation</keyword> <keyword id="21593811" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Toxics-Link" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Toxics Link" meta.hostid="281" meta.entityid="Toxics Link">Toxics Link</keyword>, tested 10 types of salt -- including table salt, rock salt, <keyword id="158885" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sea-salt" source="Orion">sea salt</keyword> and local raw salt -- and five types of sugar purchased from both online and local markets. <br /><br />The study revealed the presence of microplastics in all salt and sugar samples, in various forms, including fibre, pellets, films and fragments. The size of these microplastics ranged from 0.1 mm to 5 mm. <br /><br />The highest levels of microplastics were found in <keyword id="630077" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="iodised-salt" source="Orion">iodised salt</keyword>, in the form of multi-coloured thin fibre and films. <br /><br />Toxics Link founder-director Ravi Agarwal said, "The objective of our study was to contribute to the existing scientific database on microplastics, so that the global plastic treaty can address this issue in a concrete and focused manner." <br /><br />"We also aim to trigger policy action and attract researchers' attention to potential technological interventions that could reduce exposure risks to microplastics." <br /><br />Toxics Link associate director Satish Sinha added, "Our study's finding of substantial amounts of microplastics in all salt and sugar samples is concerning and calls for urgent, comprehensive research into the long-term health impacts of microplastics on human health." <br /><br />The concentration of microplastics in the salt samples ranged from 6.71 to 89.15 pieces per kilogramme of dry weight, the report said. Iodised salt had the highest concentration of microplastics (89.15 pieces per kilogramme) while organic rock salt had the lowest (6.70 pieces per kilogramme), according to the study. <br /><br />In sugar samples, the concentration of microplastics ranged from 11.85 to 68.25 pieces per kilogramme, with the highest concentration found in non-organic sugar. Microplastics are a growing global concern because they can harm both health and the environment. These tiny plastic particles can enter the human body through food, water and air. <br /><br />Recent research has found microplastics in human organs such as the lungs, heart, and even in breast milk and unborn babies. Previous studies found that the average Indian consumes 10.98 grams of salt and around 10 spoons of sugar every day -- much higher than the <keyword id="19896311" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="world-health-organization" source="keywords">World Health Organization</keyword>'s recommended limits.

All Indian salt and sugar brands have microplastics, notes a recent study

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="21868010" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Victoria-Ou" source="keywords">Victoria Ou</keyword> and <keyword id="21868011" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Justin-Huang" source="keywords">Justin Huang</keyword>, both 17, won $50,000 for their <keyword id="21868009" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="microplastic-filtration-device" source="Orion">microplastic filtration device</keyword>.</li><li>They tested a new technique using <keyword id="21403320" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ultrasound" source="keywords">ultrasound</keyword> to filter <keyword id="19970180" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="microplastics" source="keywords">microplastics</keyword> from water.</li></ul>Two teenagers from Woodlands, Texas invented a device that could help address one of the most pervasive and challenging forms of pollution on Earth: microplastics.<br /><br />These microscopic plastic particles show up in the deepest parts of the ocean, at the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mount-everest-summit-microplastics-study-national-geographic-2020-11">top of Mount Everest</a>, and are in everything from the dust in your home to your food and water.<br /><br />By some estimates, we each inhale and ingest a credit card's worth of plastic per week. Thenit can end up in our <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/microplastics-found-in-living-human-lungs-for-the-first-time-2022-4">lungs</a>, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/microplastics-discovered-in-human-blood-for-the-first-time-2022-3">blood</a>, breastmilk, and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/microplastics-found-in-human-testicles-what-to-do-2024-5">testicles</a>.<br /><br />Victoria Ou and Justin Huang, both 17, hope to prevent that one day with their award-winning device that removes microplastics from water using ultrasonic — or high-frequency — sound waves.<br /><br />Ou and Huang presented their work at last week's <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/teen-wins-isef-science-fair-grand-prize-discovery-biomedical-devices-2024-5">Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair</a> (ISEF) in Los Angeles, where top competitors from science fairs worldwide congregated to share their projects and compete for $9 million in prizes.<br /><br />The Texas duo received first place in their Google-sponsored category, Earth and Environmental Sciences, and they also snagged the $50,000 prize from the Gordon E. Moore Award for Positive Outcomes for Future Generations.<br /><br />  <div type="image" title="Victoria Ou and Justin Huang stand with their arms raised wearing giant gold medals around their necks" height="839" width="1259" msid="110377857" hostid="261"></div>Though the ultrasonic technique is in its very early stages, the high schoolers hope that one day it could filter the plastic out of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/nanoplastics-water-bottle-micro-plastics-bloodsteam-tiny-pieces-plastic-2024-1">your drinking water</a> and from the industrial and wastewater that humans dump into the environment.<br /><br />"This is the first year we've done this," Huang told Business Insider backstage after receiving their award. "If we could refine this — maybe use more professional equipment, maybe go to a lab instead of testing from our home — we could really improve our device and get it ready for large-scale manufacturing."<br /><br />While it's unclear how <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/you-are-consuming-microplastics-how-much-what-to-know-risks-2022-4">microplastics affect human health</a>, many common chemicals in plastic have been linked to increased risk of cancer, fertility and development issues, and hormone disruption. And we're still a long way from getting rid of microplastics.<br /><br /><h2>The challenge of filtering microplastics</h2>  <div type="image" title="White microplastic beads inside a black container under a microscope" height="683" width="1024" msid="110377858" hostid="261"></div>Last fall, while <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/isef-science-fair-parents-mistake-pressure-2024-5">brainstorming ideas</a> for their ISEF project, Ou and Huang visited a water treatment plant. They wanted to find out whether this type of facility already had tools that could remove microplastics from wastewater.<br /><br />The answer, they discovered, was no. The EPA doesn't regulate microplastics, the employees told Huang and Ou, so they don't remove them from <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/microplastics-carry-stomach-viruses-in-fresh-water-for-days-study-2022-6">wastewater</a>.<br /><br />"We knew, from then, to focus on this issue," Huang told BI.<br /><br />Even if the EPA began regulating these pernicious plastic particles tomorrow, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/microplastics-water-pollution-solution-from-google-2019-8">existing removal methods</a> have problems, Huang said.<br /><br />One solution is to use chemical coagulants, such as aluminum hydroxide, that — when added to water — clump microplastics together into larger, more easily filtered chunks. However, chemical coagulants can also pollute the environment and mess with the PH of purified water. Plus, they're expensive.<br /><br />There are also some physical filters available, but they clog easily. And biological solutions, like using enzymes to break down plastics, aren't efficient enough to tackle this problem at scale.<br /><br />"We wanted to find a solution to this because current solutions aren't really effective," Huang said.<br /><br />So, Ou and Huang — who have been friends since elementary school and connected over their shared interest in the environment — set out to invent their own environmentally friendly, inexpensive, and efficient solution.<br /><br /><h2>How it works</h2>  <div type="image" title="Victoria Ou and Justin Huang stand in front of their science fair poster holding a small device in their hands that they invented" height="667" width="1000" msid="110377861" hostid="261"></div>Huang and Ou's device is remarkably small, about the size of a pen. It's essentially a long tube with two stations of electric transducers that use ultrasound to act as a two-step filter.<br /><br />As water flows through the device, the ultrasound waves generate pressure, which pushes microplastics back while allowing the water to continue flowing forward, Ou explained. What comes out the other end is clean, microplastic-free water.<br /><br />The two teens tested their device on three common types of microplastics: polyurethane, polystyrene, and polyethylene. In a single pass, their device can remove between 84% and 94% of <keyword id="7791833" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="microplastics-in-water" source="Orion">microplastics in water</keyword>, according to a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.societyforscience.org/press-release/high-schoolers-win-more-than-9-million-at-regeneron-isef-2024/">press release</a>.<br /><br /><h2>Future work</h2>  <div type="image" title="Victoria Ou and Justin Huang stand back to back wearing a black and blue suit" height="1667" width="2500" msid="110377862" hostid="261"></div><br />Ou and Huang believe their technology could be used in wastewater treatment plants, industrial textile plants, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-chicago-cleans-billion-gallons-wastewater-every-day-2024-4" target="_blank">sewage treatment plants</a>, and rural water sources. On a smaller scale, it could filter microplastics in laundry machines and even fish tanks.<br /><br />But first, there's more work to be done. "To reach that stage, I think we need a lot more processing," Ou said. "This is a pretty new approach. We only found one study that was trying to use ultrasound to predict the flow of particles in water, but it didn't completely filter them out yet." The <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S138358662200209X" target="_blank">study</a> that inspired the two teens was by New Mexico Tech researchers and published in the peer-reviewed journal Separation and Purification Technology in 2022.<br /><br />In another 2023 <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1383586623006056?via%3Dihub" target="_blank">study</a>, researchers at Shinshu University tested a similar ultrasound-filtering method to remove microplastics from water. But Ou and Huang say their device is simpler, more efficient, and the first to use ultrasound to block and filter microplastics directly.<br /><br />Their technique uses ultrasonic waves to create a pressure wall that blocks microplastics and allows water to flow through, whereas the Shinshu study focused the microplastics into a beam that must then be collected separately, which requires more steps, more infrastructure, and didn't filter as much water.<br /><br />"I hope we just are able to be able to scale this up, but first we have to refine it because this technology is still at its infancy," Huang said.<br /><br />Their $50,000 prize could help them get there. In the meantime, though, they're enjoying the moment.<br /><br />"We were just happy being able to go to ISEF. Originally, we weren't expecting too much, but getting first place and the top award is much more than we ever expected," Ou said.<br /><br />"This is something that I've been dreaming of my whole life, so I'm still pinching myself trying to figure out if this is real or not," Huang said.<br /><br /><em>Correction — May 29, 2024: An earlier version of this story misstated the novelty of Ou and Huang's invention. Ou and Huang are not the first to successfully use ultrasound to separate microplastics from water. Previous studies have tested similar methods.</em><br />

2 teens won $50,000 for inventing a device that can filter toxic microplastics from water

Eat right, exercise, get adequate sleep, manage your stress, avoid smoking and limit alcohol — these are some of the recommendations men receive to maintain a healthy <keyword id="20687206" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sperm-count" source="keywords">sperm count</keyword>. But what if, even after following all this advice, the sperm count gets affected due to the nature of the world we live in?<br /><br />A new study has discovered <keyword id="19970180" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="microplastics" source="keywords">microplastics</keyword> in <keyword id="21759251" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="human-testicles" source="Orion">human testicles</keyword>, raising concerns about their potential link to <keyword id="21759246" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="declining-sperm-counts" source="keywords">declining sperm counts</keyword> in men.<br /><br />Researchers tested 23 human testes and 47 testes from pet dogs. After dissolving the tissue samples and analysing the plastic remnants, they found <keyword id="21759247" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="microplastic-pollution" source="keywords">microplastic pollution</keyword> in every single sample!<br /><br />The human <keyword id="21742117" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="testicles" source="keywords">testicles</keyword> exhibited a plastic concentration nearly three times higher than that found in dog testes: 330 micrograms per gram of tissue compared to 123 micrograms. Polyethylene, commonly used in plastic bags and bottles, was the most prevalent microplastic found, followed by PVC.<br /><br />PVC is known to release chemicals that interfere with spermatogenesis and contains substances that disrupt the endocrine system, which produces and regulates hormones crucial for numerous bodily functions, including growth, metabolism and reproduction.<br /><br />Furthermore, the human testes analysed were obtained from postmortems conducted in 2016, with the men aged between 16 and 88 at the time of their deaths. Given the increased <keyword id="19970182" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="plastic-pollution" source="keywords">plastic pollution</keyword> since then, researchers are particularly concerned about its impact on younger generations.<br /><br />While the preserved human testicles couldn’t have their sperm counts measured, the dog testes—obtained from veterinary neutering operations—were assessable. Findings showed lower sperm counts in samples with higher PVC contamination. While this shows a correlation, further research is needed to definitively prove that microplastics cause declining sperm counts.<br /><br />In addition to testicles, microplastics have also recently been found in human blood, placentas and breast milk, indicating widespread contamination of human bodies. Laboratory studies have shown that microplastics can damage human cells. Moreover, these particles might lodge in tissues and cause inflammation, while the chemicals in plastics could be harmful as well. In March, doctors warned of life-threatening effects, noting a significantly increased risk of stroke, heart attack, and early death in people with contaminated blood vessels.<br /><br />Microplastics have already polluted the entire planet, from the summit of Mount Everest to the deepest oceans. Therefore, their presence in the innermost parts of the human body, while alarming, is not entirely surprising. The challenge now is to contain this damage and prevent it from worsening, which is easier said than done given the pervasive role of plastic in the modern way of life.<br /><br />The study was published in the journal <em>Toxicological Sciences</em> and can be accessed <a href="https://academic.oup.com/toxsci/advance-article/doi/10.1093/toxsci/kfae060/7673133">here</a>.<br />

Plastic testes: Scientists analyse human testicles, find microplastics in every single one of them!

Microplastics have made their way into penises. What can we do to avoid them?

<ul class="summary-list"><li>A small study of men with erectile dysfunction found microplastics hiding in most of their penises.</li><li>An older man with a traditional lifestyle was the only one who didn't have microplastic in his penis.</li></ul><p>When scientists first started murmuring about a striking connection between more <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/microplastics-found-in-human-testicles-what-to-do-2024-5">microplastics</a> and more <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/microplastics-risks-heart-attack-stroke-study-2024-3">heart attacks</a>, Dr. Ranjith Ramasamy's mind immediately traveled further south, to another blood-pumping organ, one that he knows very well.</p><p>"Penis being such a vascular organ, similar to the heart, we said, 'Hey, could this also be present in the penis?'"</p><p>Ramasamy, a reproductive urology specialist who has conducted penile implant surgeries in Miami for many years, wondered how the microplastics that we inadvertently inhale from everyday items including food, water bottles, and household dust, might impact fertility and verility in men.</p><p>What he's found, while still preliminary, is that microplastics are present in some penises experiencing erectile dysfunction (ED).</p><h2 id="d10e2f89-ecd2-42ac-a0b3-26bd0bbf4c43"><strong>Microplastics were found in 80% of penises with ED in this small study</strong></h2><div type="image" title="plastic bottles" height="1473" width="2035" msid="111097982" hostid="261" sizebytes="323382"></div><p>Ramasamy's first-of-its-kind study, just released in the International Journal of Impotence Research, was a small, pilot sample of six men, all with ED, each one undergoing surgery to insert a penile implant.</p><p>While the study is still preliminary, it's part of a growing body of research that finds microplastics are present everywhere in the human body that researchers have looked so far.</p><p>It's also one of the first studies to study a connection between impotence and more plastic use. Other studies have already suggested there <a target="_blank" href="https://healthymale.org.au/health-article/do-plastics-our-food-and-environment-affect-male-fertility">may be some link</a> between our plastic modern existence and lower-quality sperm. Ramasamy wanted to know whether microplastics might physically impact penis muscle function.</p><p>At the start of each surgery, Ramasamy carefully extracted some tissue from deep inside the shaft of the penis — <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cancer.gov/publications/dictionaries/cancer-terms/def/corpus-spongiosum">an area that's responsible for</a> making and sustaining erections. He and his team worked to ensure there was no plastic contamination in the surgery rooms by using non-plastic surgical instruments and collecting the tissue in glass containers. They then whisked the tissue off to two separate labs for analysis.</p><p>Scientists found microplastics present in five of the six penises they sampled. The most abundant plastic in the penises was polyethylene terephthalate, or PET, a common plastic used in food packaging including plastic bottles and takeout containers. They also found polypropylene, which is used to make plastic bottle caps.</p><h2 id="b12a6895-c0f9-4901-829a-51b66a3af1b1"><strong>We are gobbling up more plastics than ever, and learning more about the effects</strong></h2><div type="image" title="takeout food" height="1414" width="2121" msid="111097983" hostid="261" sizebytes="223084"></div><p>We don't know how much plastic might be hiding out in the penises of men without ED and can't take much away from such a small initial study.</p><p>Still, this research goes hand in hand with what other microplastics experts are discovering.</p><p>We are <a target="_blank" href="https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.est.4c00010">consuming more plastic</a> than ever before. In several <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/NEJMoa2309822?logout=true">recent</a> microplastic <a target="_blank" href="https://hsc.unm.edu/news/2024/05/hsc-newsroom-post-microplastics-testicular.html">studies</a>, younger men have had more microplastic in them than older men.</p><p>The one man in this study who didn't have any detectable microplastics in his penis "leads a very traditional, Cuban guy elderly lifestyle," Ramasamy said. "He said he doesn't use a lot of plastics."</p><p>He's not getting a lot of the takeout that often comes in plastic-lined containers, and he's not drinking from plastic-lined coffee cups or plastic water bottles very often. In other words, without trying, he's doing most of the things that microplastic researchers recommend to people hoping to reduce their risk of any potential microplastic-related health issues: avoiding drinking and eating from plastic, and never microwaving plastic containers.</p><p>This finding has given Ramasamy pause. He has become much more wary of drinking from plastic water bottles since completing this study, and he tries to always put his food on a real plate now before he re-heats it, instead of microwaving plastic tubs. He knows it's still unclear what contribution microplastics might be making to infertility and low sperm quality, but he's got a hunch there's probably some contribution, on some level.</p><p>"As convenient as society has become, I think we're facing some of these harms," he said. "I don't think our parents were exposed to as much: They were not drinking water out of plastic bottles — they were certainly not doing as much takeout."</p><h2 id="6c081f96-1909-4cea-8163-d7d04064973c"><strong>Could microplastics be interfering with important penis muscles?</strong></h2><div type="image" title="penis enlargement" height="1414" width="2121" msid="111098040" hostid="261" sizebytes="381844"></div><p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/microplastics-found-in-human-testicles-what-to-do-2024-5">Microplastics</a> have traveled to almost every corner of the body that scientists have looked at so far, including lungs, livers, blood vessels, penises, and brains, as well as fluids including semen, blood, and placentas. Just last month, researchers at the University of New Mexico found microplastics in testicles, <a target="_blank" href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36948312/">cementing the idea</a> that microplastics can penetrate the body's protective blood-testes barrier. What these tiny bits of plastic are doing to our bodies remains an open question.</p><p>Richard Pilsner, a men's reproductive health expert at Wayne State University who studies the chemicals in plastics, says "we have a lot to learn in terms of where it's accumulating and what processes it may be affecting." Recent work he's done suggested that men with higher levels of plasticizers and plastic chemicals in their bodies see their <a target="_blank" href="https://www.factor.niehs.nih.gov/2023/6/feature/3-mens-reproductive-epigenetics">sperm age faster</a>, in a similar way to cigarette smokers.</p><p>"It kind of is all pointing in the same direction — that these environmental factors are influencing sperm fitness," he said.</p><p>While the impact of microplastics on erections is unclear, that's nothing new in this field. Erections are still a very poorly understood, multifactorial phenomenon, involving nerves, hormones, muscles, and interest.</p><p>Ramasamy is confident that this is seriously worth investigating, especially given the recent link between more microplastics in blood vessels pumping oxygen to the brain, and more heart attacks and strokes. Couldn't it also be the case that microplastics are connected to erection issues, in a similar, physical way?</p><p>"You could have good blood supply, but if you don't have the actual muscle to do the heavy lifting, how are you going to make it work?" he said.</p>

Microplastics found in penis muscle for the first time. It could be linked to erectile dysfunction.

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Microplastics were just found in testicles.</li><li>That's alarming because testes, like brains, have a special blood barrier.</li></ul><p>In 2024, microplastics are starting to look a lot like cigarettes did in the early 1960s: A poorly-understood health hazard in dire need of better study and regulation.</p><p>The latest bad news on microplastics and human health emerged last week, when a study from <a target="_blank" href="https://hsc.unm.edu/news/2024/05/hsc-newsroom-post-microplastics-testicular.html">researchers</a> at the University of New Mexico examined 47 canine and 23 human testes, taken from neutering operations and cadavers, respectively. All of those testicles had microplastics inside — there were 12 different kinds of microplastic inside the organs studied, including the common plastic making material that plastic silverware and plastic bottles are made from.</p><p>"It does strike me as kind of 'eww,'" Tracey Woodruff, who directs the program on reproductive health and the environment at the University of California San Francisco, and who was not involved in the study, told Business Insider.</p><p>Woodruff isn't exactly surprised that microplastics are showing up in testicles. They've already been found in our bloodstream, and in other human organs such as the liver, the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/microplastics-risks-heart-attack-stroke-study-2024-3">heart</a>, and the lungs. In March, a New England Journal of Medicine study even suggested microplastics lodged into blood vessels in our necks might be playing a role in heart attack and stroke risk. And microplastics had already been found in <a target="_blank" href="https://doi.org/10.1093/toxsci/kfae021">testes</a> in one 2023 Chinese study. In fact, in a rapid, systematic <a target="_blank" href="https://prhe.ucsf.edu/press-release/microplastics-can-harm-human-health-and-existing-national-policy-responses-are">review</a> of 2,000 microplastic research papers that Woodruff did for California legislators last year, she and her team found that microplastics can harm the reproductive health of both men and women, while also upping cancer risk, and hurting lungs.</p><p>But Dr. Ranjith Ramasamy, an expert in reproductive urology, says if it's true that microplastics are invading testicles, that's of extra concern.</p><p>"The only two organs in the human body that are protected spaces are the testes and the brain," he told BI. "I think we need to first study the question of how microplastics even got there in the first place."</p><h2 id="c6bff6db-f818-40a3-904d-d403fe756271">The testicles, like the brain, have a special blood barrier that stuff isn't supposed to get through</h2><div type="image" title="human brain" height="1478" width="2028" msid="110284248" hostid="261"></div><p>It makes sense that microplastics might flow into organs like the heart or the kidneys. Microplastics come from all kinds of things we consume and breathe in, including dust, food containers, makeup, and water bottles.</p><p>Small particles consumed through your mouth flow to your gut, then enter your bloodstream, and invade all corners of the body, from the lungs to the liver. But getting into a woman's ovaries, which are "soaked in blood" and located inside the body should be easier than invading a man's testicle, Ramasamy said.</p><p>"I am shocked," he said.</p><p>To get into the brain or the testicles requires surmounting an extra tough hurdle, that special blood barrier.</p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10141840/">Early</a> <a target="_blank" href="https://www.aa.com.tr/en/science-technology/turkish-study-identifies-microplastics-in-brain-cells/3197206">studies</a> are starting to suggest that microplastics do have the capacity to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1041233">penetrate</a> the blood-brain barrier, though. And if the results of this new testicle study hold true in other labs, it would be a damning sign that the same is true for mens' testes.</p><p>Still, Ramasamy cautions that we need to understand much more about what's really going on with all the microplastics in our bodies, and precisely how they are impacting our health, before we start pointing to plastic ingestion as the most important reason for fertility issues in modern-day society.</p><p>"Before we start alarming everybody saying, 'you're drinking too much from plastics and that's why your fertility is going down.' I think we just need to be a little bit cautious," he said. "Do microplastics play a role as an environmental toxin? I 100% agree. But does it play a role by entering inside the testes and blocking sperm production? That I don't know."</p><h2 id="3e061287-633e-4a06-b733-2de9795ba913">Scientists don't understand why microplastics are bad — but they are urging regulators to step in</h2><div type="image" title="Woman drinking water from a bottle." height="1413" width="2123" msid="110284249" hostid="261"></div><p>Scientists know that certain chemicals inside <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/endocrine-disruptors-dangerous-chemicals-2019-1">plastic disrupt our hormones</a>.</p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/guides/health/diet-nutrition/what-is-bpa">Chemicals like BPA</a> are colloquially known as "hormone-disrupting" chemicals, and plastic makers are developing new ones all the time. In addition to the specific chemicals that are used to make a plastic, there may also be physical issues to worry about with plastic ingestion.</p><p>In this study, men had three times the amount of microplastic in their testicles as dogs. Does that matter? We don't really know.</p><p>"I don't think the amount is as important as the types that are found and the potential damage that it can cause," Ramasamy said.</p><p>Is having plastic floating around in your bloodstream problematic because of the chemicals we're being exposed to within it, which can include <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/bpa-plastic-containers-bad-health-risks-obesity-heart-disease-diabetes-2019-2">known toxins like PFAS</a>, or does it cause issues because it's getting stuck in places it shouldn't be? The answer to these scientific questions is probably pretty complicated, experts say.</p><p>"What we're seeing now is that these microplastics are a vehicle for these chemicals, which we know are toxic, and they also themselves could be toxic," Woodruff said.</p><p>This is why she is in favor of regulating plastics much like we do air pollutants.</p><p>"We have a real opportunity here to address microplastics and plastics right now," she said. "Plastic production is projected to triple by 2060, but we don't have to do that — we don't have to have more plastic."</p><h2 id="380defc4-c7ea-47d1-b063-a0c26e3b081a">One thing experts agree on: you should stop microwaving your plastic</h2><div type="image" title="microwave TV dinner in black plastic" height="1713" width="1750" msid="110284250" hostid="261"></div><p>Experts BI spoke with all agreed that <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-avoid-pfas-in-water-and-food-2019-8">microwaving less plastic</a> is a good idea.</p><p>"Drinking from it is one thing, but heating them and eating from it or drinking from it, I think it's definitely wrong," Ramasamy said.</p><p>The reason scientists get so bent out of shape about microwaving plastic is because when plastic gets heated up, it becomes much easier for the chemicals in the plastic to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reduce-hazardous-forever-chemicals-exposure-pfas-at-home-2022-9">leech out</a> and get absorbed by the body.</p><p>Certainly, Ramasamy said, environmental pollutants — including microplastics — are one reason for declining fertility.</p><p>"I always ask the question, did our parents use the amount of plastics that we do today?" he said. "The answer is absolutely not."</p><p>Interestingly, men over the age of 55 in the new study didn't have as much microplastic in their system as younger men did.</p><p>Even "greener" looking takeout containers these days, like cardboard boxes, are often built with a special plastic coating inside so liquid doesn't seep out. So, try to put your food on a ceramic or glass plate or in a real bowl when you can.</p><p>Woodruff says trying to drink from fewer plastic bottles, washing your hands before you eat, and leaving your shoes at the door are all good practices for minimizing exposure too.</p>

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