Scientists are still learning the health effects of ingesting microplastics – tiny pieces of plastic less than 0.2 of an inch (5mm) in diameter.
Now, new research from China suggests these plastic fragments could be causing inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) – a group of disorders that cause chronic pain and swelling in the intestines.
Experts found IBD sufferers had 1.5 times the amount of microplastics in their stool, which suggests that the bacteria could have been linked to the disease.
It’s thought that more microplastics in the gut may cause IBD or makes the disease worse, but it’s currently unclear exactly how.
In the faeces, people suffering from IBD were more likely to have higher amounts of different shapes of microplastics such as sheets and fibres than they are in those of healthy individuals.
Microplastics are already known to infiltrate our food, bottled water and even the air. Microplastics are a common ingredient in food, water, and clothing. However, the health risks associated with microplastics remain unknown.
According to Nanjing University, China, “Human consumption of microplastics can be inevitable because of the abundance of microplastics within various foods and beverages,” says the author.
It is not clear if microplastics pose a significant risk to the health of humans.
“Here we analyse the characteristics of microplastics found in the stool of IBD patients and healthy individuals. We discovered that there was a significantly greater concentration of microplastics than in healthy subjects.
The term IBD actually describes two conditions, according to the NHS – ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease.
While ulcerative colitis affects only the colon (large intestine), Crohn’s can affect all parts of the digestive system from the mouth and anus.
Globally, IBD is on the rise. It can either be caused by environmental or diet factors.
The researchers looked into whether microplastics might also cause IBD.
Researchers wanted to start the process of finding out how microplastics are distributed in human faeces. They compared the results of subjects with IBD and healthy people.
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) actually describes two conditions – ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease
The study involved the collection of faeces from 52 healthy individuals and 50 people suffering from IBD in different regions of China.
Analysis of the samples showed that faeces from IBD patients contained about 1.5 times more microplastic particles per gram than those from the healthy subjects – 41.8 items/g dm compared with 28 items/g dm.
The number of particles in a gram of stool is called items/g dm.
Although the microplastics were similar in shape (mostly, sheets and fibers), the IBD faeces contained smaller particles. They had less than 50 micrometres.
A total of 15 types were found in faeces. However, the polyethylene Terephthalate (PET), and the polyamide were most prominent.
PET, a strong and clear plastic, is used to package food and drinks.
Nylons are another example of polyamides. They can be used as finishing and clothing materials.
The paper states that microplastics can be found in plastic containers used for drinking water, food, and dust.
“The positive correlation of faecal microplastics with IBD status indicates that either microplastic exposure is related to disease or IBD may exacerbate microplastic retention.
Nylons are made up of polyamides. They can be used to make clothing and finishing equipment. Pictured is nylon dipped cord used in textiles
“The relative mechanisms merit further study.”
Also, the team found that microplastics exposure can vary from one person to another using faecal samples.
A higher level of faecal microplastics may help to limit the source of this tiny particle. This is based on living place, lifestyle, and consumption habits.
The new study has been published today in the journal Environmental Science & Technology.