Tiny pieces of plastic in water linked to physical, mental disabilities
They could enter the body through environment and damage the brain and nervous system
(Web Desk) - Microscopic pieces of plastic in water have been linked to increased risk of physical and mental disabilities in worrying new research.
Experts suggest tiny pieces of plastic, called microplastics, could be entering the body through the environment and damaging the brain and nervous system.
In a study, researchers compared the concentration of microplastics in seawater in more than over 200 locations in America.
They found areas with the highest levels had increased rates of mental and physical disabilities in the population.
While the experts didn't name the conditions, people living in these areas had a 16 per cent higher risk of having a disability that prevented them looking after themselves.
The finding come amid reports of rising numbers of Britons and Americans suffering chronic, disabling illness.
In the past year alone, people with a long-term health condition rose by two per cent, which those classified as disabled rose by three per cent, UK Government data show.
The experts admitted that the new study cannot directly prove microplastics are causing the increased rate of disabilities, and said further research was needed.
However the scientists said the increased risk remained even when factors like differing rates of heart disease and stroke, which might otherwise explain the results, were accounted for.
Dr Sarju Ganatra, Lahey Hospital and Medical Center in Burlington, Massachusetts, and an author of the study, said the findings provided important insight into how marine microplastics could be harming people's brains.
People in high microplastic areas also had a nine per cent higher chance of having a mental condition that caused them to have problems with thinking and their memory.
And they had a six per cent higher chance of having a disability that impaired their ability to move.
Lastly, experts found people living in microplastic dense areas had an eight per cent higher chance of having a disability that prevented them from living independently.
This meant they needed help with managing their own finances, shopping or using transportation.
Dr Ganatra added that, if microplastics are found to be the cause of disabling illness, tackling the problem is likely to be a complex issue.
'The amount of plastic in different areas can vary due to ocean currents, which can carry and concentrate plastic in certain regions,' he said.
An additional limitation of the study is that the data only captures one single moment in time, meaning potential changes in microplastics levels and disability over time were not considered.
