Research On Human Expressions Hiup 70 Thousand Microplastic Particles Every Day

JAKARTA - A recent study reveals that humans can inhale more than 70 thousand microplastic particles every day while indoors, this number is much larger than previously thought.

Even worse, most of these particles are very small in size, so they can penetrate deep into the lung tissue.

Plastic is now one of the biggest environmental problems of today, polluting everything from rivers, seas, to human blood flow.

Micro-plastic particles enter our bodies not only from food and drinks, but also through the air we breathe at all times.

In a study conducted by scientists from Universit\'e de Toulouse, France, the research team wanted to know how much plastic dust might be inhaled in everyday life.

They took 16 indoor aerial samples, including from their own apartments and cars. The sample was then analyzed using the Raman spectroscopy technique, which allowed researchers to measure concentrations of microplastics floating in the air.

The results are quite astonishing. The average concentration of microplastic particles in apartment air was recorded at 528 particles per cubic meter. While in the car the figure jumped to 2,238 particles per cubic meter.

Of this number, about 94 percent is less than 10 micrometers in size, small enough to enter and accumulate in lung tissue when inhaled.

Based on these findings and other similar studies, scientists estimate adults inhale about 71 thousand microplastic particles from the indoor environment every day, and about 68 thousand of them are under 10 micrometers in size.

"The concentration we found was 100 times higher compared to previous estimates," the study's authors said, quoted from the Live Science page.

They also reminded humans to spend 90 percent of their time indoors, whether it's at home, workplace, shop, or vehicle. During that time, they were constantly exposed to microplastic pollution by air without realizing it.

What actually happened to microplastics when they entered the human body is still an open question. However, scientists fear the impact could be serious.

A number of recent studies show that microplastic exposure can be related to increased risk of certain cancers, fertility problems, strokes, and various other health problems.