Aligarh. You must have heard about many pollutions. Among them is plastic pollution, which is causing great harm not only to the environment but also to the human body. Plastic pollution is no longer limited to just rivers, seas or land, but has reached deep inside the human body. Today, extremely small particles called microplastics are entering the human body through air, water and food and are becoming the cause of serious health problems. Shirjeel Ahmed Siddiqui, researcher at the Department of Agricultural Microbiology, Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), says that in today’s time, microplastic pollution has become a serious global problem, which is deeply affecting not only the environment but also human health.
Microplastics are actually very small particles of plastic, whose size can be 5 nanometers or even less. These particles are so tiny that they easily enter our body and environment. There are many sources of microplastics. The most prominent sources are large plastic materials, which break down over time and turn into smaller particles. Plastic micro-beads are deliberately added to many cosmetic products, food items and products such as toothpaste. It is through these mediums that microplastic enters our body.
Researcher Shirjeel says that the harms of microplastic are being seen at every level. Especially it is badly affecting the food chain. When it is present in the air, it enters our body through breath. When it reaches water, it harms aquatic organisms and when humans drink the same water, microplastic directly enters the human body. After reaching the human body, microplastic can affect almost every organ. It can mix with blood and disrupt blood flow. If it reaches the lungs, it may cause breathing problems. When it reaches the liver and kidneys, it causes problems in the absorption of nutrients in the body.
3R principle
Hormonal imbalance, reduced fertility and problems related to fertility have also come to light due to microplastics. It has also been found in many researches that microplastic is neither able to completely come out of the body nor is it absorbed properly. In such a situation, it can cause serious harm by reaching the kidneys and can cause problems like kidney damage. The most effective way to protect against microplastics is to reduce the use of plastic. For this, it is very important to adopt 3R principle i.e. reduce, reuse and recycle.
Researcher Shirjeel says that if we reduce the use of plastic, then its waste will also be reduced and the amount of microplastic in the environment will also reduce. This will automatically reduce the exposure of the human body. It is equally important to spread awareness about microplastics. Still many people are unaware of its dangers. Unless people understand how microplastic is harming our body and environment, prevention is not possible. Only through awareness and limited use of plastic can effective control be achieved on this serious problem.
