petemcewan   27 #1 Posted October 23, 2018 (edited) https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/oct/22/microplastics-found-in-human-stools-for-the-first-time.  A study covering 8 countries in the world. I wonder what effect the plastic has on our health. Edited October 23, 2018 by petemcewan Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
medusa   16 #2 Posted October 23, 2018 There's currently no evidence either way about the potential toxicity or safety of microplastics in the human diet, but is it a surprise that we wear synthetic clothing, use plastics and synthetics in all areas of our life and some of it stays with us?  I'd be more worried about the microscopic threads that we breathe into our lungs and sinuses than I would be about how much we ingest, on current available information, but there's a huge amount of work needed to ascertain the relative harmfulness of all sorts of plastics and synthetics before we panic about it all. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
petemcewan   27 #3 Posted October 23, 2018 Medusa,  I tend to agree with most of what you have written above.  I think we should get some giddyup on the research.   https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanplh/article/PIIS2542-5196(17)30121-3/fulltext Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
steve68 Â Â 66 #4 Posted October 23, 2018 I thought we were largely made up from masses of parasites. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
petemcewan   27 #5 Posted October 23, 2018 Steve68,    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Composition_of_the_human_body Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
macmellus   10 #6 Posted October 23, 2018 Steve68,   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Composition_of_the_human_body  That is on an elemental level. If you go up to the level on which lifeforms exist, I believe most of what we consider our own mass can be considered other lifeforms.  ---------- Post added 23-10-2018 at 20:18 ----------  Ah,yes. Last paragraph in that link says;   Composition by cell type Main article: List of distinct cell types in the adult human body  There are many species of bacteria and other microorganisms that live on or inside the healthy human body. In fact, 90% of the cells in (or on) a human body are microbes, by number[34][35] (much less by mass or volume). Some of these symbionts are necessary for our health. Those that neither help nor harm humans are called commensal organisms. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
petemcewan   27 #7 Posted October 26, 2018 (edited) Macmellus,  In fact, 90% of the cells in (or on) a human body are microbes,  You might be qualified to give an opinion on the following.  Are any of those microbes responsible for turning a cell cancerous?  Note: Presumably , if plastic gets inside of the cells or the environment within which they exist. The ecological balance-upon which these other lifeforms rely upon -is upset and illness,in the host, will follow. Edited October 26, 2018 by petemcewan Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
macmellus   10 #8 Posted October 26, 2018 Macmellus,  You might be qualified to give an opinion on the following.  Are any of those microbes responsible for turning a cell cancerous?  Note: Presumably , if plastic gets inside of the cells or the environment within which they exist. The ecological balance-upon which these other lifeforms rely upon -is upset and illness,in the host, will follow.  I'm definitely qualified. I got a BS from the University of Lif.  I know for a fact that you're probably right, maybe. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
petemcewan   27 #9 Posted October 27, 2018 Macmellus,  Thanks for the rather cautious analysis. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...