- Researchers are increasingly interested in the health risks from chemical additives in microplastics.
- A new study used 3D human skin-equivalent models to examine how flame retardant additives in microplastics are absorbed by the skin.
- The findings demonstrate that several flame-retardant additives passed through the skin barrier.
Research is moving forward in exploring the potential dangers of microplastics and how people may be exposed and affected.
A study published in Environment International examined how certain flame retardants that can be added to plastic can be absorbed through the skin.
Researchers found that the skin could absorb up to 8% of the exposure dose but that specific amounts varied.
However, the amount of additives that became available to circulate in the bloodstream did not exceed 0.14% of what was initially present in the microplastics.
Researchers noted that sweaty skin was more likely to absorb some flame retardants than dry skin.
The study’s results suggest the need to address microplastic additives that people could be exposed to and the concern that skin absorption can be an exposure route.
Microplastics are tiny plastic particles that are smaller than 5 millimeters.
Humans are commonly exposed to microplastics, so experts are seeking to understand the potential health dangers this poses to people. However, a significant concern is not the microplastics but the related chemical additives.
The study authors noted the following:
“Many of these additives, particularly in the flame retardant and plasticizer categories, such as polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), have been found to cause adverse health effects including: endocrine disruption, reproductive toxicity, neurotoxicity, hepatotoxicity and cancer.”
The study authors note that several countries have banned the commercial formulation of PBDEs but their environmental contamination could be a problem for decades.
To investigate the potential implications of these substances on…
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