The air you breathe in and how microplastic is a bigger problem than you think?

According to recent research, it has been discovered that humans may inhale approximately 16.2 bits of microplastic every hour. This amount is equivalent to consuming a credit card's worth of microplastic particles over the course of a week. These tiny particles of plastic are generated from the degradation of plastic products and are commonly found in the environment. Unfortunately, microplastics often contain toxic pollutants and chemicals that can pose a risk to human health.

It's important to know how inhaled microplastics move through the respiratory system to prevent and treat respiratory diseases. A team of researchers from many esteemed universities created a computational fluid dynamics model to study how microplastics travel and deposit in the upper airway. Their findings were published in Physics of Fluids, a journal by AIP Publishing.

In recent studies, it has been discovered that there are millions of tons of microplastic particles present in water, air, and soil. Additionally, the production of microplastics has been rapidly increasing on a global scale, resulting in a significant surge in the density of these particles in the air. The most concerning finding of these studies is the discovery of microplastics deep within human airways, which raises serious concerns regarding the potential respiratory health hazards associated with exposure to these particles.

The research team conducted an investigation on the motion of microplastics with varying shapes (spherical, tetrahedral, and cylindrical) and sizes (1.6, 2.56, and 5.56 microns) in conditions of both slow and fast breathing. Studies have found that microplastics have a tendency to accumulate in specific areas of the body, such as the nasal cavity and oropharynx (the back of the throat). These areas are often referred to as "hot spots" for microplastic buildup.

According to the research author Mohammad S. Islam, the intricate and uneven shape of the airway, coupled with the complex flow dynamics in the nasal cavity and oropharynx, cause microplastics to deviate from the intended flow path and accumulate in specific areas. The overall deposition of these particles is influenced by factors such as flow speed, particle inertia, and the asymmetrical anatomy of the airway, resulting in a higher concentration of deposition in the nasal cavities and oropharynx region.

The rate at which microplastics are deposited in airways is influenced by both breathing conditions and the size of the microplastics. An increase in flow rate tends to decrease the deposition of microplastics. Additionally, the largest microplastics (measuring 5.56 microns) are deposited more frequently in airways compared to smaller microplastics.

The study conducted by the authors sheds light on the potential harm caused by exposure to microplastics, especially in regions with high levels of plastic pollution or industrial activity. The findings of this study can be valuable in developing targeted drug delivery devices and improving health risk assessment methods. This highlights the critical need to address plastic pollution and its impact on human health.

The researchers have plans to examine the movement of microplastics on a broader scale in a complete lung model personalized for each patient. The model will take into account various environmental elements, such as humidity and temperature.

Source: ScienceDaily