https://phys.org/news/2024-05-human-uptake-microplastics-countries.html
'Southeast Asian countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines top
the global per capita list of dietary uptakes of microplastics, while China,
Mongolia and the United Kingdom top the list of countries that breathe the most
microplastics, according to a new study by Cornell researchers mapping
microplastic uptake across 109 countries.
The study, published April 24 in the journal
Environmental Science &
Technology, builds on existing data models estimating how much microplastic
humans unwittingly eat and inhale as a result of untreated plastic debris
degrading and dispersing into the environment.
To more comprehensively estimate human consumption, the Cornell study accounts
for each country's eating habits, food processing technologies, age
demographics and breathing rates—all factors that contribute to differences in
how residents of each country consume microplastics.
"The uptake of microplastics at the country level is a critical indicator of
plastic pollution and public health risks," said Fengqi You, the Roxanne E. and
Michael J. Zak Professor in Energy Systems Engineering, who co-authored the
study with doctoral student Xiang Zhao. "Comprehensive global mapping supports
local pollution mitigation efforts through enhanced water quality control and
effective waste recycling."
The study assesses dietary uptake by compiling data on microplastic
concentrations in subcategories of major food groups such as fruits,
vegetables, proteins, grains, dairy, drinks, sugars, salt and spices. The
models also use data detailing how much of those foods are consumed in
different countries. For instance, table salt consumption, per capita, is about
equal in Indonesia and the U.S., but the microplastic concentration in
Indonesian table salt is around 100 times higher.
Overall, the study found that Indonesians eat about 15 grams of microplastics
per month—more than any other country—with the majority of plastic particles
coming from aquatic sources such as seafood. That is a 59-fold increase in
daily microplastic consumption from 1990 to 2018, the date range used for the
models. U.S. dietary intake of microplastics is estimated to be about 2.4 grams
per month, while the lowest is Paraguay at 0.85 grams.'
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
