A recent study revealed that an average individual may be inhaling nearly 68,000 tiny microplastics each day, which is 100 times greater than previously projected.
These tiny particles range up to 1-10 micrometers in diameter, far smaller than the width of a single strand of hair, and capable of pervading into the lungs.
They are injurious to health and pose significant effects on health.
For the study, researchers utilised advanced equipment to measure concentrations of microplastics of different sizes in 16 air samples collected from their own cars and residences.
Results indicated that an average of up to 528 microplastic particles per cubic meter were discovered hovering in the apartment air.
In addition, researchers found 22-hundred particles per cubic meter in the car cabins.
After the study, researchers projected that individuals are breathing up to 3,200 larger microplastic particles every day and 68,000 smaller ones.
Indoor air is “a major and previously underestimated exposure route for fine particulate microplastic inhalation,” researchers stated.
It is pertinent to mention that previous studies have shown an association between microplastics and a variety of health issues, such as diabetes, different types of cancers, cardiac disorders, and more.
