Wow, this Canadian newspaper piece lays out some evidence on micro- and nano-plastics:
- linked to declining sperm counts, altered puberty timing, infertility and developmental abnormalities in the reproductive organs
- exposure during the perinatal and early-life periods to disrupt neurodevelopmental health
- Neurodevelopmental outcomes, including attention deficits, lower IQ and behavioural changes
- MNPs do not distribute evenly. Evidence indicates they accumulate in the hippocampus, amygdala, cerebral cortex and substantia nigra. These structures are essential for cognition, emotional regulation and motor control. Their damage accounts for cognitive and behavioural impairments documented in numerous experimental studies.
- can accelerate the onset and progression of conditions like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s [mouse study]
- Through progressive damage to brain regions involved in learning, memory, emotional regulation, anxiety and motor control, MNPs erode the neural substrates underlying behaviour and psychological health. Although they may not directly produce clinical “personality changes,” current evidence indicates that MNPs induce a spectrum of neurobiological and functional impairments that are likely to manifest as marked shifts in cognition, mood and behaviour.
they conclude:
Today, less than 10 per cent of plastic is recycled. [6]. There is much work to be done. Each one of us should avoid anything plastic. Governments at all levels need to impel plastics manufacturers to disclose their chemical composition, and redesign them so that they do not release microplastics or known chemicals of concern. Microplastic pollution is the result of human actions and decisions. We created the problem and now we must create the solution.
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-microplastics-pollution-health-problems-environment/ https://archive.ph/cjig9
#microplastics #nanoplastics #MNPs #GlobeAndMail #health #news
