Plastic particles entering the Food chain

by Chloe Lee

Plastic is everywhere in the modern world, and now it's causing a new problem: tiny plastic particles are getting into our food. These small pieces of plastic, called microplastics, are finding their way into the food chain, worsening the environment and living organisms’ health, including humans.

Microplastics come from many different places. Some are made to be very small, like the little beads in face wash or toothpaste. Others come from bigger plastic items, such as bottles and bags that break down into smaller pieces over time. Even washing our clothes made from synthetic materials, like polyester, releases tiny fibers that can become microplastics.

When microplastics are out in nature, they end up in rivers, lakes, and oceans. Small sea animals like plankton, ingest these tiny pieces of plastic after mistaking them as food. Then, larger fish consume plankton, and the plastic moves up the food chain; this process is called “trophic transfer.” This means that the rest of the consumers will have microplastics inside them, passed by their predators. On land, microplastics can get into the soil from fertilizers made with treated sewage, which has fibers from synthetic clothes and other waste. Worms and bugs in the soil eat these tiny plastic bits, and even plants can take them up through their roots.

When humans eat these plants or the animals that ate the plastic, they end up eating the microplastics too. According to The SeaCleaners, microplastics were detected in the human blood of 80% of people who tested on plastic detection.

One main way humans ingest microplastics is by eating seafood. Any type of fish may contain microplastic inside their body, and humans especially get affected if they eat the fish as a whole. However, microplastics can be found not only in seafood, but also can be found in salt, honey, beer, and even drinking water. This shows that we are all likely eating microplastics in some way, aggravating human health. Since microplastics carry harmful chemicals like heavy metals and substances that mess with our hormones, it can cause health problems like hormone imbalances, fertility issues, and even cancer.

Works Cited

YouTube: Home, 9 November 2017, https://pixels.com/featured/11-plastic-entering-the-food-chain-cristina-pedrazziniscience-photo-library.html. Accessed 1 June 2024.

Wikipedia, https://www.triplepundit.com/story/2018/our-plastic-problem-plastics-marine-life-and-beyond/11841. Accessed 1 June 2024.

YouTube: Home, 9 November 2017, https://www.ewg.org/news-insights/news/2024/03/new-study-links-microplastics-serious-health-harms-humans. Accessed 1 June 2024.

“Microplastics in human blood and lungs: an urgent case for scientific research.” The SeaCleaners, 8 April 2022, https://www.theseacleaners.org/news/microplastics-in-human-blood-and-lungs-the-urgent-need-for-scientific-research/. Accessed 1 June 2024.

“Microplastics in the Food Chain: Food Safety and Environmental Aspects.” PubMed, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34611754/. Accessed 1 June 2024.

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