Microplastics are everywhere - in the food we eat, the air we breathe, and the environment around us. But how much do we actually know about what they are doing inside the human body?
In this episode I speak to microplastics researcher Dr Stephanie Wright to discuss everything from the difference between micro and nanoplastics, how particles interact with cells and the immune system and how researchers even measure plastic in blood and tissues.
Timestamps
(0:00) Intro - Are microplastics actually harming us?
(0:51) What do we actually know about the health effects?
(2:00) What animal studies can - and can't - tell us
(4:16) Should we be more concerned about nanoplastics?
(5:52) How could microplastics cause harm inside the body?
(7:50) Microplastics, the gut and the immune system
(9:03) How do we measure microplastics in the body?
(12:06) Microplastics in the brain - what was wrong with the research?
(14:19) How much microplastic are we actually exposed to?
(15:40) Can microplastics be removed from the body?
(17:01) The biggest sources: heating plastic, tea bags and tyre wear
(19:16) Which foods contain the most microplastics?
(20:37) Can plants absorb nanoplastics from soil?
(21:45) Microplastics in the placenta and fetus
(24:00) Will microplastics accumulate as we age?
(25:50) Are we blaming microplastics for too many health problems?
(27:00) The 'exposome' - why your whole environment matters
(30:58) How dangerous are microplastics compared with other pollutants?
(32:14) Can fibre help remove microplastics?
(38:50) What we still don't know about microplastics
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