“Microplastics will inhabit the known universe eventually. Including us.”—Author unknown
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Of course, you’ve probably heard of microplastics, those small plastic pieces less than five millimeters long. They are usually found in various ecosystems like rivers, lakes, and coastal waters. Those areas are the final destination of our discarded plastics.
These days, there is an additional reason to wear a mask, particularly in urban environments. Researchers from the Iligan Institute of Technology (IIT) at Mindanao State University have discovered that urban road dust contains microplastics. Failing to cover your nose with a mask increases the risk of inhaling microplastics into your body.
The research, titled “Urban Road Deposition of Microplastics in Iligan City,” was published last year in the Philippine Journal of Science, which is the oldest scientific peer-reviewed journal in the Philippines. This journal is regularly published by the Science and Technology Information Institute (STII) of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST).
The IIT researchers are said to be the pioneers in quantifying and characterizing microplastics, especially from road dust in an urban setting.
Microplastics in road dust pose potential health risks, particularly to vulnerable groups such as children, the elderly, and individuals with respiratory conditions, according to Jeron Bet B. Tejano, one of the authors of the study.
“Since road dust microplastics (RDMPs) can become airborne and be inhaled, they may contribute to respiratory inflammation, lung irritation, and other health complications. Some microplastics also contain toxic additives or can absorb harmful pollutants, further increasing health risks,” Tejano told STII’s Claire Bernadette A. Mondares in an interview.
While more studies are needed to fully understand the long-term effects, the presence of RDMPs in urban environments is a growing concern that needs attention, said Tejano, a masteral environmental science student whose scholarship is supported by DOST through the Accelerated Science and Technology Human Resource Development Program.
For their research, they gathered their samples from barangay Tibanga, barangay Poblacion, and Barangay Palao, all located in Iligan City, Lanao del Norte.
These barangays were “strategically selected” because they were near the city center. These three barangays, they explained, “represent areas with high human activity.” Criteria for selecting them were based on traffic density, commercial and residential buildings, and the level of pedestrian movement.
So, what were their findings? They have found that the polymer types are mostly polyester at 58.3%; followed by ethylene propylene at 25%; ethylene vinyl acetate, at 8.3%; and polyacrylamide, also at 8.3%.
It must be noted that the sampling process of the study necessitated rigorous contamination control to confirm that the microplastics detected originated solely from road dust and not from external sources, which posed significant challenges for the research team.
“One of this study’s limitations, however, is that we could only assume that these materials originate from fibers in textiles and industrial materials, tire abrasions, brakes, and other road elements,” the study said.
The study is said to be the first in the country to provide direct evidence of microplastics in road dust. The findings strongly indicate the need for further studies in both urban and rural areas of the Philippines.
“Given the varying levels of urbanization, industrial activity, and traffic density across regions, additional studies would help establish a more comprehensive understanding of RDMP pollution. Expanding research to other cities would also provide valuable data for policy development and mitigation strategies,” Tejano added.
The researchers acknowledge that addressing road dust microplastic pollution is difficult due to the ongoing increase in plastic production; however, they propose that there are strategies available to lessen its effects.
Microplastics originate from numerous sources, including the breakdown of larger plastic waste into progressively smaller pieces.
David Suzuki once said, “When plastics do break down, they don’t biodegrade; rather, they break into increasingly smaller pieces, many of which end up in the oceans as microplastics that harm aquatic life and birds,” said David Suzuki, a Canadian environmental activist.
Earthday.org contends there are 24 trillion pieces of microplastics floating in the ocean. It’s not surprising at all that marine animals often ingest plastic. “When eating an oceanic creature, you’re also eating all the plastics it has consumed,” the website says.
Researchers estimate an average person consumes about 53,864 particles of microplastics annually from seafood. That’s equivalent to 17 credit cards. Modern plastic credit cards, if you don’t know, weigh around 5 grams.
A recent study has found microplastics in bangus, the most popular fish eaten by Filipinos. The researchers extracted 383 particles from 30 bangus that were taken from sampling sites in a selected site in Mindanao. They found 235 of the extracted particles to have microplastics.
“The Filipino people, living in an archipelagic country and relying on its fresh and marine water bodies, are at risk of ingesting microplastic-contaminated aquatic organisms. With this data, we can start to see the extent of microplastic pollution and start its mitigation,” said Dr. Rey Y. Capangpangan, who led the study.
