Plastics: the invisible threat in our food

Increasingly, minuscule plastic particles are floating around us. These particles, originating from larger pieces of plastic, make their way into our food chain and ultimately into our bodies. This raises questions about potential health risks. Hugo Brouwer, a doctoral candidate in toxicology at Wageningen University, has recently conducted research on this topic. His findings shed new light on the interaction between these plastic particles and our immune system.

Brouwer explains that micro- and nanoplastics, ranging from a few micrometers to nanometers in size, are invisible to the naked eye. Their small size makes them potentially dangerous, as people cannot actively protect themselves against them. "These particles can attract various substances from their surroundings, including proteins in our stomach and intestines," says Brouwer. When these particles are then absorbed by our cells, there is a risk of damage.

Innovative research approach

To gain more insight into how plastic particles behave in the human digestive system, Brouwer created a model of the gastrointestinal tract. He used tubes filled with a salt solution that simulates the pH of stomach acid and added the plastic particles to this. After incubation, proteins and enzymes present in our intestines were added to this mixture to further investigate the interaction between the particles and the digestive system.

Brouwer discovered that proteins from the gastric-intestinal fluid adhered to the plastic particles. This increases the uptake of these particles by macrophages, key cells in our immune system. The exact implications of this for human health are still unclear. However, existing literature suggests that absorbed nanoparticles can lead to inflammatory responses.

Health implications

The research also identified which proteins specifically bind to different types of plastics. This is significant because these bindings can accelerate the uptake of particles into the cells. "If the plastics bind to digestive proteins, they could even affect digestion," says Brouwer. He adds that an accumulation of plastic particles in cells could hinder them from performing their functions, potentially leading to cell death.

Brouwer emphasizes the seriousness of his findings: "We have discovered that immune cells absorb more plastic particles than we previously thought. This could mean that the current assessment of risks to the human body is too low." He advocates for further research into the effects of these particles on our health. This will enable us to better understand how these particles behave in our bodies and what this means for our long-term health.

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