What is Microplastic? Hidden Threats in Our Daily Lives

Microplastics have spread to every aspect of our lives, from the cosmetics we use every day to the clothes we wash, from the seafood we consume to the water we drink. Because they are small in size, we often do not even notice their presence. However, these particles have the potential to accumulate in the environment and in our bodies and have negative effects on our health. Microplastics also pose a threat to biodiversity.

You can check out this blog post for more information about biodiversity.

As microplastics mix into the sea, many creatures, from fish to shellfish, ingest these particles, and when we consume these creatures, microplastics indirectly end up on our tables. Moreover, microplastics are even present in the air we breathe, which causes them to enter our bodies through respiration.

Microplastics are defined as plastic particles smaller than 5 millimeters in size. Due to their size, they are quite difficult to notice with the naked eye. These particles usually occur as a result of plastic products crumbling and breaking down over time. However, some microplastics are intentionally produced in small sizes and are used in cosmetics or cleaning products. Microplastics are divided into two main groups:

• Primary Microplastics: These microplastics are produced in the form of small particles from the beginning. They are commonly found in cosmetics, toothpastes and industrial cleaning products, especially those containing peelings. In addition, microfibers found in textile products and fishing nets also fall into this class. As these products are used, the microplastics in them mix into the water and reach our oceans and rivers directly because they cannot be retained by purification systems.

• Secondary Microplastics: These types of microplastics are formed when large plastic products (such as plastic bottles, bags, toys) crumble and break down over time due to environmental factors. Factors such as sunlight, temperature, and water erode plastic and break it into small pieces. These pieces mix with water, soil, and air and spread over a very wide area.

You can visit the Microplastic Research Group website to access more detailed and technical information about microplastic pollution.

Microplastics are not biodegradable. Once they enter nature, they accumulate and become permanent.

Microplastics can create stress at the cellular level, weaken our immune system, cause inflammation, and even disrupt our hormone balance. The toxic chemicals carried by microplastics have the potential to cause many serious diseases, including cancer, in the long term. In short, microplastic pollution in our environment has become a problem that directly affects our quality of life.

Microplastics are found in many environments around us, such as water, soil, and air. They are everywhere, from the seas to agricultural areas, from the water we drink to the air we breathe. Understanding the journey of these particles in the environment allows us to see how they spread and accumulate.

• Microplastics in Waterways: Our oceans and rivers around the world are the areas where microplastics are most densely found. These particles, which we cannot see with the naked eye, accumulate in the seas and are ingested by fish, shellfish, and other aquatic creatures. Since these creatures are part of the food chain, microplastics eventually end up on people’s tables. For example, we unknowingly take these particles into our bodies through the seafood we consume. This is a major problem that affects not only marine life but the entire food chain. As of 2018, microplastics have been found in more than 114 species of water in the combination of marine and freshwater ecosystems. They have also been detected in the digestive tracts and tissues of crabs and various invertebrates. According to the report titled Microplastic Pollution in Marine Animals in Turkey published by Greenpeace; 64.8% of mullet, 63% of red mullet, 34.3% of mullet, 32.8% of red mullet, and 26.7% of horse mackerel contain microplastics. This means that 44.3% of all fish contain microplastics.

• Microplastics in Soil: Microplastics are not limited to water; they also mix into the soil. Microplastics penetrate the soil with irrigation water and fertilizers used in agricultural areas. This leads to their transfer to food products during agricultural production. These particles, which accumulate in the soil, especially with pesticides, fertilizers and irrigation water, can be absorbed by the roots of plants. As a result, microplastics can be found even in foods that we consider healthy and natural. According to the Wheat Ecological Life Support Association, plastics are used for a variety of purposes in agriculture, from mulching films to plastic tree protectors and slow-release fertilizers coated with polymers. In fact, 12.5 million tons (approximately 13.8 million US tons) of plastic was used in plant and animal production for agriculture in the world in 2019, and 37.3 million tons (approximately 41.1 million US tons) for food packaging in the same year.

A study conducted by the Ankara University Faculty of Agriculture in 2023 determined the rate of microplastics found in agricultural lands. As a result of the examination of soil samples taken from nine provinces in three regions, approximately 300 pieces of plastic were detected in 1 kg of soil in the Mediterranean Region, 180 in the Aegean Region, and 160 in the Marmara Region.

• Microplastics in the Air: We may be breathing microplastics in every breath we take! Another environment where microplastics are found is the air. As plastic waste wears down over time, these particles can also mix into the air. The rate of microplastics spreading through the air is especially high in city centers and industrial areas. These particles can spread to very large areas by being carried by the wind and enter the human body through inhalation. This poses a serious health risk, especially for those with sensitive respiratory systems.

The average person eats, drinks and breathes in 74,000 to 121,000 microplastic particles each year.

Although the effects of microplastics on human health are still not fully understood, research shows that these particles can accumulate in our bodies and cause various health problems. Microplastics that enter our bodies through the breath we take, the water we drink and the food we eat can weaken the immune system, create stress in cells and cause inflammation.

• Inhaled Microplastics: Microplastics reach our lungs with the air we breathe. The accumulation of these particles in the lungs can trigger respiratory diseases such as asthma and bronchitis. In addition, they have the potential to damage the cells in the lungs and even lead to cancer in the long term.

• Ingested Microplastics: The types of food that contain the most microplastics are seafood, salt, bottled water and even some processed foods. These particles that we ingest accumulate in our digestive system. It can cause digestive problems, imbalance in the intestinal flora, and negative effects on the immune system. It is also thought that they can cause hormonal imbalances.

The long-term accumulation of microplastics in our bodies can cause stress at the cellular level and cause inflammation. This can lead to weakened immune systems, hormonal imbalances, reproductive health problems, and some types of cancer. Considering the potential of microplastics to carry toxic chemicals, it is clear that these small particles can have serious effects on our health.

The effects of microplastics on the environment are quite extensive. Many areas, from marine life to agriculture and pollution of natural resources, are under the threat of microplastics. It causes serious problems especially in aquatic ecosystems.

• Effects on the Ecosystem: Fish and other marine creatures swallow microplastics thinking they are food. This disrupts their reproductive cycles and leads to a decrease in their populations. It also harms biodiversity by reducing water quality. This effect of microplastics on marine life affects all living things in the food chain.

• Effects on Natural Resources: Microplastics mixed into agriculture and water resources reduce the productivity of these resources and increase pollution. This situation emerges as a problem that threatens both human health and environmental balances.

Ways to Avoid Microplastics in Our Daily Lives
Although it is difficult to completely avoid microplastics, we can reduce this threat by taking some simple precautions in our daily lives.

1. Reducing Plastic Consumption: Avoiding single-use plastics is an important step in reducing the spread of microplastics into the environment. Choosing alternatives such as cloth bags, glass bottles and metal straws helps us reduce our plastic consumption.

2. Choosing Environmentally Friendly Products: Choosing products that do not contain microbeads in cosmetics and cleaning products is important to reduce our microplastic consumption. Choosing organic and environmentally friendly products also prevents the spread of microplastics.

3. Recycling and Waste Management: Recycling plastic waste is necessary to prevent microplastics from entering nature. Gaining the habit of recycling is one of the most effective ways to reduce plastic pollution.

4. Raising Awareness and Consciousness: Being informed about microplastics and raising awareness about this issue helps us take a stronger stance against microplastic pollution as a society.

Various solutions should be produced at both individual and societal levels to reduce microplastic pollution. Governments, civil society organizations and individuals should cooperate on this issue. Developing policies to reduce plastic use in particular will be effective in reducing microplastic pollution. Education programs and awareness campaigns will also make individuals more sensitive to this issue.

Fighting against microplastics is important not only to protect our environment and the world, but also our health. Raising awareness against this threat and taking some simple precautions in our daily lives is an important step. Even small steps we take individually can have a big impact on reducing microplastic pollution. In order to protect our environment and health, we must take a conscious stance against microplastics and take action as a society.