It's still early days, but this technology is a hopeful step.
  • Korkki@lemmy.mlEnglish
    31·
    2 days ago

    Is there any actual proven point of filtering out microplastics from the body? We still don’t know if there are any serious health effects from them, there is just this they might be connected to X,Y,Z. Even then the focus really should be environmental purification and water treatment.

    • Venus_Ziegenfalle@feddit.orgEnglish
      5·
      2 days ago

      We still don’t know if there are any serious health effects from them

      That’s no longer entirely true. They can cause inflamation and cancer for example and that’s been proven well beyond “potentially”.

      Even then the focus really should be environmental purification and water treatment.

      I think both is important. Getting rid of all the microplastics in the environment isn’t possible with current tech and if it ever is it’ll still be an extremely slow process. Plus there are people who are exposed to large doses of microplastics due to their work or the location of their home and for those it could be especially beneficial to get that stuff filtered out.

      • peoplebeproblems@midwest.socialEnglish
        2·
        2 days ago

        I believe I read that not only are micro plastics unavoidable, the amount entering the environment produced by any organization is an order of magnitude higher than anything we produce at home.

        Especially anything that comes in plastic wrap.

        • Venus_Ziegenfalle@feddit.orgEnglish
          1·
          1 day ago

          I can give you the next best thing. This video explains various aspects that need to be considered with microplastics. It’s mostly an interview with Spanish scientist Joaquim Rovira sharing his findings with what’s usually a cooking channel. He has also published several papers on the topic. Him and his peers are a good place to start if you want the latest findings.

    • Kyrgizion@lemmy.worldEnglish
      1·
      2 days ago

      The effects that worry me most and are arguably the best studied are those on the human endocrine system. It unarguably interferes with our hormonal system, although it is not yet known to which degree or how it impacts each individual separately. Most likely this will go the way of cigarettes; with the world “knowing” it’s poison but not taking action until the effects can absolutely no longer be ignored. By which time it will be too late for many.

      • queermunist she/her@lemmy.mlEnglish
        1·
        2 days ago

        No, it’ll go the way of carbon emissions i.e. the world “knowing” the problem but not taking action except for useless emissions targets that we blow past constantly.