What is Microplastic? Hidden Threats in our Daily Life

Today environmental pollution is almost synonymous with plastic waste; plastic bottles in the seas, plastic bags, which do not decompose in nature for hundreds of years or package wastes we encounter on the streets and in parks... However, there is a smaller and more insidious threat behind this large and visible plastic pollution which we do not become aware of for the most part: microplastics. These tiny particles are the invisible and the most dangerous face of plastic pollution.

This hidden threat creates a great danger not only for ecosystems but also for human health. In this blog post, we will deal with microplastics in length, talking about what microplastics are, how they spread in our environment, their impacts on nature and human health and how we can protect ourselves from this threat. Let’s dive into the world of microplastics and discover what we can do against this invisible threat.

Description of Microplastic

Microplastics are everywhere in our life, from cosmetic products we use every day to the clothes we wash, from seafoods we consume to the water we drink. We do not even notice their existence most of the time since they are very small. These particles, however, have the potential to create negative impacts on our health by accumulating in the environment and within our bodies. Microplastics also pose a threat to biological diversity.

For more information about biological diversity, you can visit our blog post here.​

With microplastics mixing in seas, many living organisms, from fish to shellfish, swallow these particles and as we consume these, microplastics come to our tables in an indirect way. Moreover, there are microplastics even in the air we breathe, and this causes microplastics to enter our bodies through respiration as well.

Types of Microplastics

Microplastics are described as plastic particles smaller than 5 millimeters. It is extremely difficult to notice them with naked eyes due to their sizes. These particles generally occur with plastic products being powdered and disintegrated in time. Some microplastics, on the other hand, are produced intentionally in small sizes and used in cosmetic or cleaning products. Microplastics are divided into two groups:

• Primary Microplastics: These microplastics are produced as small particles from the beginning. They can be found in cosmetic products, especially peelings, toothpastes and industrial cleaning products. In addition, microfibers found in textile products and fish nets are also included in this group. As these products are used, microplastics they contain mix in water, and they reach directly to oceans and rivers since they cannot be held by treatment systems.

• Secondary Microplastics: This type of microplastics is produced from big plastic products (e.g., plastic bottle, bag, toy, etc.) which disintegrate in time due to environmental factors. Factors such as sunlight, temperature, water etc. wear off plastics and break them into small pieces. These particles mix in water, soil and air, thus spreading in a very wide area.

More detailed and technical information about microplastic pollution can be found at the website of Microplastic Research Group.

Journey of Microplastics in the Environment: From Where to Where?

Microplastics do not decompose biologically. Once they mix in nature, they accumulate and become permanent.

Microplastics can create stress at a cellular level, weaken our immune system, cause inflammation, even disrupt out hormonal balance. And toxic chemicals carried by microplastics have the potential of causing many serious illnesses in the long run, including cancer. In short, microplastic pollution in our environment has become a problem that has direct impacts on our quality of life.

Microplastics can be found in many environments such as water, soil and air. From the seas to agricultural fields, from the water we drink to the air we breathe... they are everywhere. Understanding the journey of these particles in the environment enables us to see how they spread and accumulate.

• Microplastics in Water Ways: Oceans and rivers across the world are areas with the most intense existence of microplastics. These particles invisible to naked eye accumulate in seas and swallowed by fish, shellfish and other aquatic creatures. As these creatures are part of the food chain, microplastics reach tables of people at the end. For example, shellfish we consume enable these particles to enter into our body without us being aware of it. This is a big problem that affects not only sea life, but also the whole food chain. As of 2018, microplastics were found in more than 114 types of water in the combination of sea and freshwater ecosystems. They were found in digestive systems and tissues of crabs and various aquatic invertebrate animals. According to the Microplastic Pollution in Turkish Aquatic Ecosystems published by Greenpeace, microplastics are found in 64.8% of gray mullets, 63% of red mullets, 34.3% of striped sea breams, 32.8% of striped red mullet, and 26.7% of horse mackerel. And this means that 44.3% of all fish contain microplastics.

• Microplastics in Soil: Microplastics are not limited to the water; they also mix in the soil. Microplastics penetrate soil with irrigation waters and fertilizers used in agricultural fields. And this enables them to pass into agricultural products during agricultural production. These particles, which accumulate in the soil especially through pesticides, fertilizers and irrigation water, can be absorbed by the roots of plants. As a result, microplastics can be found even in the produce we think of as healthy and organic. According to Buğday Association for Supporting Ecological Living, plastics are used in agriculture for various reasons, from mulching films to plastic tree covers and slow-release fertilizers covered with polymers. In fact, in 2019, plant cultivation and husbandry industry used 12.5 million tons (approx. 13.8 million US tons) of plastic while the same year, food packaging sector used 37.3 million tons (approx. 41.1 million US tons) of plastics across the world in agriculture.

In a 2023 study conducted by Ankara University Faculty of Agriculture, microplastic rate found in agricultural fields was identified. As a result of investigating soil samples collected from nine provinces in three regions, approximately 300 plastic particles were found per 1 kg of soil in the Mediterranean Region, 180 in the Aegean Region, and 160 in the Marmara Region.

• Microplastics in Air: We may be breathing in microplastics at each breath we take! Air is another environment microplastics are found. With the disintegration of plastic waste in time, these particles may also mix in the air. The rate of airborne microplastics is much higher especially in city centers and industrial zones. Carried by wind, these particles can spread across very wide areas and enter into human body through respiration. This situation creates a profoundly serious health risk, especially for those with sensitive respiratory systems.

Impacts of Microplastics on Human Health

An average person eats, drinks and inhales between 74,000 and 121,000 microplastic particles each year.

Although the impacts of microplastics on human health are still not exactly understood, conducted research suggests that these particles can cause various health problems by accumulating in our body. Microplastics entering into our body through the air we breathe, the water we drink and the food we eat can weaken our immune system, create stress in cells and cause inflammation.

• Inhaled Microplastics via Air: With the inhaled air, microplastics reach our lungs. Accumulation of these particles in the lungs may trigger respiratory diseases such as asthma and bronchitis. Moreover, they have the potential to even cause cancer in the long-term by damaging the lung cells.

• Ingested Microplastics via Food: Food types containing the most microplastics are sea food, salt, bottled water and even some processed foods. These ingested particles accumulate in our digestive system. These can create digestive problems, imbalance in gut flora and negative impacts on immune system. In addition, it is thought that these can cause hormonal imbalances.

Accumulation of microplastics in our body in the long-term can create cellular stress, thus leading to inflammation. This situation can pave the way for immune system weakness, hormonal imbalances, problems with reproductive health and some cancer types. Considering the potential of microplastics to carry toxic chemicals, it is obvious that these micro particles can create serious impacts on our health.

Environmental Impacts of Microplastics

The environmental impacts of microplastics have quite a wide range. From aquatic life to agriculture and pollution of natural resources, many areas are under the threat of microplastics. These create serious problems, especially in aquatic ecosystems.

• Impacts on Ecosystem: Fish and other aquatic animals ingest microplastics, mistaking them as food. This, in turn, creates disruptions in their reproductive cycles and causes their populations to decrease. In addition, microplastics reduce water quality, thus harming biological diversity. This impact of microplastics on aquatic life affects all animals in the food chain.

• Impacts on Natural Resources: Microplastics mixed in agricultural and water resources decrease the yield of these resources and increase pollution. This situation comes to the fore as a problem that threatens both human health and environmental balances.

Ways to Avoid Microplastics in Our Daily Life

Although completely avoiding microplastics may not be possible today, we can decrease the level of threat by taking some simple measures in our daily life.

1. Reduce Plastic Consumption: Avoiding disposable plastics is a major step to reduce spreading of microplastics in the environment. Preferring alternatives such as cloth bags, glass bottles and metal straws can help us reduce our plastic consumption.

2. Prefer Environmentally Friendly Products: Preferring cosmetic and cleaning products which do not contain microbeads is important to reduce our microplastic consumption. It is also important to prefer organic and eco-friendly products to prevent spreading of microplastics.

3. Recycling and Waste Management: Recycling plastic waste is necessary to prevent microplastics mixing in with nature. Gaining the habit of recycling is one of the most effective ways to reduce plastic pollution.

4. Become Conscious and Raise Awareness: Being knowledgeable about microplastics and raising awareness in our circle in this subject enable us to show a stronger stance against microplastic pollution as a community.

Solutions to Reduce Microplastic Pollution

Various solutions should be produced to reduce microplastic pollution, both at individual and social levels. Governments, non-profit organizations and individuals should cooperate in this matter. Especially developing policies to reduce plastic use would be effective in reducing microplastic pollution. Training programs and awareness-raising campaigns would also enable individuals to be more sensitive in this matter.

Fighting microplastics is important not only to protect our environment and the planet, but also to protect our health. Becoming aware of this threat and taking some simple measures in our daily lives would be a significant step. Even small individual steps can create a substantial impact in reducing microplastic pollution. We should take a conscious stance against microplastics to protect our environment and our health and we should take action as a community in this matter.