9 ms·
Here's a nice detailed research paper on the problems with microplastics: > "Today, it is an issue of increasing scientific concern because these microparticle
by photochemsyn 5y ago
Here's a nice detailed research paper on the problems with microplastics:
> "Today, it is an issue of increasing scientific concern because these microparticles due to their small size are easily accessible to a wide range of aquatic organisms and ultimately transferred along food web. The chronic biological effects in marine organisms results due to accumulation of microplastics in their cells and tissues. The potential hazardous effects on humans by alternate ingestion of microparticles can cause alteration in chromosomes which lead to infertility, obesity, and cancer. (2018)"
You can get it at sci-hub_se just enter this title in the search box: "Microplastic pollution, a threat to marine ecosystem and human health: a short review"
For a broader discussion on the continuing issue of environmental toxins accumulating in human beings, more pop-sci:
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/chemicals-within-us https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/chemicals...
> "Yet even though many health statistics have been improving over the past few decades, a few illnesses are rising mysteriously. From the early 1980s through the late 1990s, autism increased tenfold; from the early 1970s through the mid-1990s, one type of leukemia was up 62 percent, male birth defects doubled, and childhood brain cancer was up 40 percent. Some experts suspect a link to the man-made chemicals that pervade our food, water, and air. There's little firm evidence. But over the years, one chemical after another that was thought to be harmless turned out otherwise once the facts were in."
Note however that US academic institutions basically cut all research into these subjects due to political and industrial pressure. It started with Republican attacks on USGS funding for environmental pollution research in the early 1990s, and continued with NIH cutting funding for environmental carcinogen research in favor of inheritied genetic explanations for cancer. Hence, 'little firm evidence'.
- kossTKR 5y agoThank you for posting this. Those numbers scary?! Does anyone know if these have kept increasing? I wonder if some of the gender and queer issues in kids these days are actually because of this issue, same with other pathologies that sometimes require medication like ADHD/Autism. I'm saying that only from a place of love - as i've always always felt "wrong" in some aspects myself, and have always wondered if increased diagnosis is because of natural biological types getting recognised, because of industry pressure to sell more medication, or because of pollution or lifestyle. Very different scenarios.
- rackjack 5y agoThe cynic/conspiracy theorist in me says "Imagine blaming kids for acting weird when they're literally infested with plastic."
- blktiger 5y agoI think at least some of the rise in ADHD/Autism is from been getting better at diagnosing these conditions and general awareness. Same with queer issues, they've been around forever but until recently it has been pushed out of the social consciousness so it was a lot more hidden.
- sarma912 5y agoGiven we might not have data from the past about the prevalence of ADHD, is it safe to assume we'll never know if mircoparticles and other things we introduce into the environment are the cause of these issues?
- tmoertel 5y agoWe could always find a causal mechanism mediated by microparticals.
- djokkataja 5y agoArguably ADHD could have benefits for people in hunter-gatherer lifestyles: https://faculty.washington.edu/dtae/manuscripts/eisenberg%20and%20campbell%202011%20-%20the%20evolution%20of%20ADHD%20-%20artice%20in%20SF%20Medicine.pdf https://faculty.washington.edu/dtae/manuscripts/eisenberg%20...
- Forgeties79 5y agoI knew I had untapped potential!
- yial 5y agoI love this article - I knew someone very closely who had “severe ADHD” quotes because in certain things - such as tracking - they were intensely focused and effective. The more time outside they spent , the better they seemed. They eventually found a position with the game commission that overall seemed to work well for them. They weren’t able to stay focused on nearly anything outside of nature, excluding things that brought them anxiety. However , this is anecdotal. They were before that able to run a semi successful cleaning business for rental properties, with the main issue being paperwork related.
- tomrod 5y ago> Note however that US academic institutions basically cut all research into these subjects due to political and industrial pressure. It started with Republican attacks on USGS funding for environmental pollution research in the early 1990s, and continued with NIH cutting funding for environmental carcinogen research in favor of inheritied genetic explanations for cancer. Hence, 'little firm evidence'. Other nations aren't researching this?
- photochemsyn 5y agoMy understanding is that most European regulators err on the side of caution with respect to banning chemicals. It's more of a "you have to prove this is safe" mentality, rather than "you have to prove this is dangerous" in terms of the scientific uncertainty. They're all looking at the same global set of available research data it seems: https://www.iflscience.com/health-and-medicine/banned-europe-safe-us/ https://www.iflscience.com/health-and-medicine/banned-europe... > "This principle, in the words of the European Commission, “aims at ensuring a higher level of environmental protection through preventative” decision-making. In other words, it says that when there is substantial, credible evidence of danger to human or environmental health, protective action should be taken despite continuing scientific uncertainty. In contrast, the U.S. federal government’s approach to chemicals management sets a very high bar for the proof of harm that must be demonstrated before regulatory action is taken."
- saiya-jin 5y agoUS vs Europe approach difference was nicely visible right after brexit. US lobbyists for agro sector were trying to persuade UK government to ease EU-based laws on quality of food, farming etc.
- mardifoufs 5y agoFood safety regulations are more strict in the US than in europe. I'm not american, but the US FDA is very powerful and does not really mess around, the point where it's actually a bad thing. The horse meat scandal probably couldn't have happened in the US, at least not at the same scale
- jerry1979 5y ago> Note however that US academic institutions basically cut all research into these subjects due to political and industrial pressure. Infuriating. Do you have any sources to back this?
- antattack 5y agoAlso it's worth noting that 3D printing with ABS produces microparticles that can embed in your lungs.
- Palmik 5y agoOther research related to the effects of plastics that might be of interest: [Decrease in anogenital distance among male infants with prenatal phthalate exposure]
- sammalloy 5y ago> Note however that US academic institutions basically cut all research into these subjects due to political and industrial pressure. It started with Republican attacks on USGS funding for environmental pollution research in the early 1990s, and continued with NIH cutting funding for environmental carcinogen research in favor of inheritied genetic explanations for cancer. Hence, 'little firm evidence'. Thank you. I’ve been saying this for more than three decades. It’s nice to know people are finally getting on board. Younger people might forget that Republicans were at one time deeply invested in conservation and protecting the environment.
- m463 5y agoSomewhat related, after hearing about the Alzheimer's drug controversies I found it interesting two facts about alzheimers... I heard on a podcast interview of Dr Matthew Walker that Alzheimer's seems to be related to a lack of sleep.
- kspacewalk2 5y ago> "Yet even though many health statistics have been improving over the past few decades, a few illnesses are rising mysteriously. From the early 1980s through the late 1990s, autism increased tenfold; from the early 1970s through the mid-1990s, one type of leukemia was up 62 percent, male birth defects doubled, and childhood brain cancer was up 40 percent. That language is sloppy and imprecise. What's increased is the (I presume the rate of) diagnoses. Not cases. Phrasing it like that allows the reader to consider many plausible confounders instead of leading them on to the predetermined conclusion of the article, or at least appearing to do so. Has detection of that particular type of leukemia increased dramatically with new technology? Are there cultural reasons why diagnoses with few if any objective measures, like autism, are more readily handed out by doctors? There are plenty of controversies about how the contents of DSM, the book that spells out the gory details of psych diagnoses, are changing over time (i.e. DSM-4 vs. DSM-5). The right conclusion might very well be the one authors are trying to suggest, but "helping it along" so transparently is unhelpful.
- tsol 5y agoAnd male birth defects doubling? I don't see how that can be the result of better testing, that seems to point to something bigger
- kspacewalk2 5y agoRisk of birth defects increases a lot with age of both parents. The number (and percentage) of advanced age pregnancies (I think it's defined as >35) has increased over that time[1]. This confounder is virtually guaranteed to account for a lot of that doubling. How much? No idea. Back to my overarching point. [1] https://evidencebasedbirth.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Figure1_AMA_2021-blog_v2_wm.png https://evidencebasedbirth.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Fi...
- p10_user 5y agoAutism might just be corollary. In the past people got lobotomies if they acted outside what was considered normal. Now many of us consider gay conversion therapy to be barbaric. We’ve come a long way, and people can express themselves more freely than ever before. Also many of us sit all the time, watch screens that give us an overload of culture and opinions, and eat up to 3 meals of sugar-infused foods fried in vegetable oils a day. It’s no surprise that gastric and colon cancers have risen. Inflammation is the name of the game - and our sugary, highly processed diets paired with long stretches of immobility compounds the damage.
- tsol 5y agoLobotomies existed for only a short period of time and were associated with the treatment of people acting out, not acting weird.