User:Srevisu/Microplastics effects on human health

Maternally
Recent studies have shown the presence of microplastics in breast milk, often leading to exposures in very young children. While it has already been established that chemicals such as flame retardants  and pesticides have been detected in breast milk, knowledge about microplastics is limited in comparison. A study in 2022 found plastics smaller than five millimeters in diameter in 75% of breast milk samples examined. It has been suggested that these plastics are especially dangerous for young children due to their role as hormone disruptors. Exposure during developmental stages can lead to long lasting developmental defects or other issues later in life. While these detected levels were not above the currently established thresholds for unsafe levels, they show another possible route for microplastic ingestion. For some native population in north Canada and people who live near industrial factories, it is sometimes suggested by pediatricians that mothers not nurse their children, over fear of ingestion of microplastics and other potentially harmful chemicals. It has been suggested that mothers should directly breast feed their children instead of from a bottle. Studies have shown that pumping milk, freezing it in plastic bags, then subsequently heating it up will increase the contamination of microplastics in the milk. Similar results have been seen from heating plastic reusable food containers in a microwave, showing the release of both microplastics and nanoplastics. It has been suggested that mothers try to avoid ingesting microplastics themselves, to try and avoid passing them onto their children through breastfeeding. Studies have shown that drinking water from plastic bottles has significantly greater detectable plastic content than tap water.