With this program, they aim to better understand the possible effects of plastic particles on health; Furthermore, what can be done to limit the possible harmful effects. The 15 short-term projects in this program have now been completed.
However, it has been shown that knowledge is still lacking and further research is needed to determine health risks.
In the Netherlands, this follow-up research is carried out by the MOMENTUM consortium, in which the Vrije in Amsterdam participates.
In the European context, research projects studying exposure to microplastics and their harmful effects are also underway.
Previously, a group of Italian scientists found microplastics in the human placenta and they continue to investigate the effect of this finding on the body; the results were also published in Environment International.
How do microplastics get into the blood?
According to the researchers, these microplastics are in people’s daily lives and arrive through toothpaste, which includes polyethylene, PET from lip gloss, fragments of dental implants, medicines for the central nervous system, tattoo ink residue
Microplastics could accumulate in some organs, traveling through the bloodstream. In studies with mice, this phenomenon has been found in organs such as the kidney, intestine and liver.
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With information from EFE.