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Human Consumption of Microplastics.

Kieran D Cox1,2, Garth A Covernton1, Hailey L Davies1

  • 1Department of Biology , University of Victoria , Victoria , British Columbia V8P 5C2 Canada.

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Americans consume tens of thousands of microplastic particles annually through diet, with numbers rising significantly when inhalation and bottled water are considered. These estimates are likely conservative.

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Area of Science:

  • Environmental Science
  • Toxicology
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Microplastics are pervasive environmental contaminants.
  • Human exposure routes and risks, particularly via diet, remain largely unquantified.
  • Understanding microplastic ingestion is crucial for public health assessments.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To estimate annual microplastic consumption from food and water in the American diet.
  • To assess the impact of inhalation on overall microplastic intake.
  • To compare microplastic ingestion from bottled versus tap water.

Main Methods:

  • Meta-analysis of 26 studies, incorporating 402 data points and over 3600 processed samples.
  • Evaluation of microplastic content in commonly consumed American foods, representing ~15% of caloric intake.
  • Inclusion of inhalation and drinking water sources in consumption estimates.

Main Results:

  • Estimated annual dietary microplastic consumption ranges from 39,000 to 52,000 particles.
  • Inhalation increases estimated annual intake to 74,000–121,000 particles.
  • Bottled water consumers may ingest an additional 90,000 particles annually compared to tap water consumers.

Conclusions:

  • Dietary microplastic intake is substantial, with significant contributions from inhalation and bottled water.
  • Current estimates are likely underestimates due to data and methodological limitations.
  • Further research is needed to fully elucidate human microplastic exposure and associated health risks.