A new study found that the average concentration of microplastic in a baby’s feces is ten times higher than in an adult’s stool. This plastic is called PET or polyethylene terephthalate and is widely used in bottles and polyester textiles.
The results suggest that babies could be exposed to higher concentrations of microplastics than adults through acts such as putting toys or clothes in their mouths that allow them to pick up tiny fibers or pieces of plastic. In addition, items such as drinking cups, food containers or baby bottles also lose PET pieces, according to The Verge.
The study was published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology Letters. The researchers examined stool samples from six year olds in New York City and the very first feces from three newborns. They compared it to samples from 10 adults in Albany, New York. “Our data provides fundamental evidence for [microplastic] Exposure doses in infants and adults and support the need for further studies with a larger sample size to confirm and expand our results, ”the study says.
“Babies are exposed to high amounts of plastic, something has to be done. Early life stages are very vulnerable, ”said Kurunthachalam Kannan, co-author and professor of environmental medicine and pediatrics at New York University School of Medicine.
According to Kannan, there is evidence that microplastics in the bloodstream could lead to inflammation and cell death, which could affect the immune system.
Download the Indian Express app for the latest parenting news.
Comments are closed.