According to recent experimental evidence, chemicals added to microplastics can enter the bloodstream via absorption through the skin.
Skin Absorption of Chemicals from Microplastics
While research into the full scope of how microplastics and their associated substances interact with the human body is ongoing, one specific absorption pathway has been identified concerning the chemicals within these tiny plastic particles.
Experimental studies offer the first evidence demonstrating how certain components linked to microplastics can be absorbed through the skin. This process involves chemicals present as additives in the microplastics.
The Absorption Process via Skin
The mechanism identified involves several steps:
- Leaching: Chemicals embedded as additives within microplastic particles can migrate or leach out.
- Sweat Interaction: Human sweat can facilitate this leaching process, drawing the chemicals out from the plastic surface.
- Skin Penetration: Once in the sweat on the skin's surface, these leached chemicals can then be absorbed directly through the skin.
- Systemic Entry: After penetrating the skin barrier, these absorbed chemicals can enter the bloodstream, circulating throughout the body.
This specific pathway highlights how substances originating from microplastics can bypass typical digestive or respiratory routes to enter the body's system.
Key Finding from Research
A recent study provided crucial experimental evidence for this mechanism:
"The study offers the first experimental evidence that chemicals present as additives in microplastics can leach into human sweat, and then be absorbed through the skin, into the bloodstream."
This finding underscores a direct route for exposure to plastic additives via skin contact, potentially through items like clothing made from synthetic materials or other surfaces containing microplastics.
Pathway Summary
Here's a simplified look at this specific absorption route:
| Step | Description |
|---|---|
| 1. Chemical Presence | Additives exist within microplastic particles. |
| 2. Leaching into Sweat | Chemicals move from microplastic into sweat on the skin. |
| 3. Absorption Through Skin | Chemicals penetrate the skin barrier. |
| 4. Entry into Bloodstream | Absorbed chemicals circulate in the body via blood. |
Understanding this pathway is important for assessing potential health impacts related to daily exposure to microplastics through skin contact.
