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#microPlastics

4 posts4 participants4 posts today
Shaula Evans

I love of using canning jars for general food containers -- pantry, fridge, freezer. They are glass, well-sized, easy to come by, and cheaper than most alternatives.

I recently learned that the "metal" storage lids (the flat piece that goes inside the metal band) are almost all coated in some form of plastic or vinyl, that in many cases contains BPA. What I thought was a plastic-free option turns out not to be.

But I have also found alternatives! 1/n

#Microplastics#FoodStorage#Canning
Mark Ohe

Sewage sludge is being quietly spread across Britain’s farmland, marketed as a nutrient-rich fertiliser. But within it is a mix of household and industrial chemicals such as #pfas (“forever chemicals”), pharmaceuticals, #pesticides, hormone-damaging chemicals and #microplastics.

This byproduct of wastewater treatment is spread with little scrutiny and has become a covert route for dumping toxic industrial waste, experts say.

theguardian.com/environment/20

The Guardian · ‘A Trojan horse’: how toxic sewage sludge became a threat to the future of British farmingBy Rachel Salvidge
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DoomsdaysCW

#Okra and #Fenugreek Extracts Safely Remove #Microplastics From Water in New Texas Research

May 10, 2025

"The substances behind the slimy strings from okra and the gel from fenugreek seeds could trap microplastics better than a commonly used synthetic polymer.

"Texas researchers proposed in 2022 using these sticky #NaturalPolymers to clean up water. Now, they’ve found that okra and/or fenugreek extracts attracted and removed up to 90% of microplastics from #ocean water, #freshwater, and #groundwater.

"With funding from the U.S. Department of Energy, Rajani Srinivasan and colleagues at Tarleton State University found that the plant-based polymers from okra, fenugreek, and #tamarind stick to microplastics, clumping together and sinking for easy separation from water.

"In this next stage of the research, they have optimized the process for okra and fenugreek extracts and tested results in a variety of types of water.

"To extract the sticky plant polymers, the team soaked sliced okra pods and blended fenugreek seeds in separate containers of water overnight. Then, researchers removed the dissolved extracts from each solution and dried them into powders.

"Analyses published in the American Chemical Society journal showed that the powdered extracts contained #polysaccharides, which are natural polymers. Initial tests in pure water spiked with microplastics showed that:

- One gram of either powder in a quart (one liter) of water trapped microplastics the most effectively.
- Dried okra and fenugreek extracts removed 67% and 93%, respectively, of the plastic in an hour.
- A mixture of equal parts okra and fenugreek powder reached maximum removal efficiency (70%) within 30 minutes.
- The natural polymers performed significantly better than the synthetic, commercially available polyacrylamide polymer used in #wastewater treatment.

"Then the researchers tested the plant extracts on real microplastic-polluted water. They collected samples from waterbodies around Texas and brought them to the lab. The plant extract removal efficiency changed depending on the original water source.

"Okra worked best in ocean water (80%), fenugreek in groundwater (80-90%), and the 1:1 combination of okra and fenugreek in freshwater (77%).

"The researchers hypothesize that the natural polymers had different efficiencies because each water sample had different types, sizes and shapes of microplastics.

"Polyacrylamide, which is currently used to remove contaminants during wastewater treatment, has low toxicity, but its precursor #acrylamide is considered #toxic. Okra and fenugreek extracts could serve as #biodegradable and #nontoxic alternatives.

" 'Utilizing these plant-based extracts in water treatment will remove microplastics and other pollutants without introducing additional toxic substances to the treated water,' said Srinivasan in a media release, 'thus reducing long-term health risks to the population [and the environment].

"She had previously studied the use of food-grade plant extracts as non-toxic flocculants to remove textile-based pollutants from wastewater and thought, ‘Why not try microplastics?’"

Source:
goodnewsnetwork.org/plant-base

Good News Network · Plant-Based Filter Removes Up to 99.9% of Microplastics from WaterThe health of effects of ingesting microplastics are, predictably, not good, though the science is in its early stages.
#SolarPunkSunday#PlasticPollution#Plastics
Levka

#microplastics

"Microplastics are the latest hidden hazard worry for the world -- and now they've even been found in chewing gum. UCLA researchers have found that every time we chew gum, microplastics are released directly into our mouths. In addition to that, a new study published in Chemistry for Life tested 10 chewing gum brands and found every single one contained microplastics. This was found to be the case with both natural and synthetic varieties. A gram of gum releases around 100 microplastics on average, with some pieces spiking as high as 600.

With something as common as chewing gum becoming a delivery mechanism for microplastics, the concerns about unknowingly consuming microplastics are only rising. The average person takes in between 39,000 and 52,000 microplastic particles each year just from food and drink, according to past research. This figure climbs to over 120,000 if you include airborne particles."

cnet.com/health/nutrition/8-co

CNETWant to Avoid Microplastics in Food? We Found the 8 Most Common Foods That Contain MicroplasticsIt's not just seafood anymore. Check your fridge for these other foods that might contain microplastics.
MUDASSAR SALEEM

You’re sipping bottled water or enjoying seafood, but tiny plastic particles might be sneaking in. Our new post explores how microplastics in food and water infiltrate our diets, their potential #health risks, and practical ways to minimize exposure. From #bioaccumulation in fish to leaching from plastic bottles, we break down the science and share tips like using reverse osmosis filters.
📖 Dive into the full article: medium.com/@learningbreeze/mic

#Microplastics#SilentSunday
Levka

#microplastics

"As a consequence of decades of living in a plastic-filled society, plastic is now everywhere. Once degraded to the size of microplastics (particles smaller than five millimeters), plastic has reached the Arctic, the Mariana Trench, the Himalayas, the atmosphere, our food, and even our bodies. Now, Spanish researchers have confirmed that it has also made its way into human reproductive fluids: where the egg develops and in semen. They were able to identify up to a dozen different types of plastic, albeit in low concentrations. It is still not known what impact they might have on sperm or oocytes and their ability to create life.

(. . .)

Microplastics were found in 69% of the follicular fluid samples — the fluid where oocytes, future eggs, develop. In the case of semen, the percentage drops to 55%. Seminal plasma, aside from being the transport medium for sperm, also keeps them alive. The difference could be due to the small sample size. However, Dr. Gómez, lab director at Next Fertility Murcia, notes another possible explanation: 'Women undergoing in vitro fertilization receive hormonal treatment that increases ovarian vascularization, which means greater blood flow.' The three entry routes of these plastic particles into the body — inhaled, ingested, or through the skin — all end up in the same place: the bloodstream."

english.elpais.com/science-tec

EL PAÍS English · Scientists find microplastics in semen and ovariesSpanish researchers have identified different types of plastics in seminal plasma and ovarian follicular fluid
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