Gary Brecka breaks down how microplastics and nanoplastics get into your body: through food and water you ingest, air you breathe, and skin absorption from cosmetics. Once inside, they carry chemical contaminants that can cause toxicity.
If these particles are accumulating in the body at such large scale, how are they getting in? The first is through ingestion. Since microplastics are present in contaminated food and water, they can be swallowed unintentionally. This is especially common in seafood, table salt, food packaging materials, and water due to plastic bottles. However, ingestion is not the only pathway through which they enter. A major route of exposure is inhalation. Microplastic particles suspended in indoor and outdoor air can be inhaled right into the respiratory system. Direct contact is another potential route of exposure, since microplastics can enter the body through dermal absorption. While the skin acts as an effective barrier against larger microplastics, the small nanoplastics under 100 nanometers can penetrate right through the skin, especially through hair follicles or damaged tissue. This exposure occurs through cosmetics, personal care items, and contact with contaminated environments. Once they're inside the body, this can potentially lead to chemical toxicity, since these particles actually carry other absorbed contaminants right into the body.
