the negative effect of plastic

6:17:3

2023-04-29

414

Study shows how plastics penetrate the brain

One of the biggest environmental problems of our time is that micro and Nano plastic particles (MNPs) which can enter the body in various ways, including through food.

Now, for the first time, a study conducted by researchers at the Medical University of Vienna (MedUni) has shown how these micro particles were able to penetrate the blood-brain barrier and thus penetrate the brain. The newly discovered mechanism provides the basis for further research to protect humans and the environment.

The study, published in the journal Nanomaterials, was conducted on an animal model with oral ingestion of micro- and Nano plastic particles, in this case polystyrene, a commonly used plastic also found in food packaging.

The team, led by Lukas Kenner, from the Department of Pathology at the Medical University of Vienna and the Department of Animal Pathology at the Vetmeduni Laboratory, detected small polystyrene particles in the brains of mice just two hours after eating them, a finding that could have major implications for human health.

And since the popularity of plastics began to increase in the 1950s, production has soared. Plastics are now ubiquitous in all aspects of daily life, from clothing and food packaging to car tires and sunscreen.

As plastics decompose, they cause micro plastics and Nano plastics to be released into the environment.

Micro plastics can be seen with the naked eye from 0.001mm to 5mm, while Nano plastics are less than 0.001mm.

Both enter the food chain in many ways, from the fish in our oceans to the plastic packaging for food. One study suggested that a person who drinks 1.5 to 2 liters of water per day from plastic bottles will ingest about 90,000 plastic particles in a year.

The Nano plastics have already been found in human tissues and fluids, including blood and placenta, but scientists warn that the presence of the particles in the brain can lead to neurological disorders.

"In the brain, micro plastics can increase the risk of inflammation, neurological disorders or even neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's or Parkinson's disease," Keener said, highlighting the need for more research.

Studies have also suggested a possible link between a number of cancers and micro plastics.

The study, using tiny shards of polystyrene, found that only the Nano plastic particles entered the mice's brains within two hours of eating them.

The team also discovered the mechanism by which the Nano plastics penetrate the blood-brain barrier, an important defense against pathogens and toxins.

The blood-brain barrier is an important cellular barrier that prevents pathogens or toxins from reaching the brain. The intestine has a similar protective wall (intestinal barrier), which can also be penetrated by micro and neoplastic particles, as shown by many scientific studies.

During the experiments, the team found that a specific surface structure in the brain, called the bimolecular corona, was crucial in enabling plastic particles to pass into the brain.

"To minimize the potential harm of micro and Nano plastics to humans and the environment, it is necessary to limit exposure and restrict their use while conducting further research on the effects of micronutrients," Keener noted.