While the health impacts of microplastics remain a pressing global concern with much still unknown about exposure levels, a recent pilot study precisely measured concentrations of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polycarbonate (PC) in infant and adult stool samples.
Microplastics pervade even the most remote corners of Earth—from ocean depths to mountaintops in the Pyrenees and Himalayas, and polar ice. It's no surprise they enter our bodies too.
Prior research detected microplastics in human stool, but this new pilot study uncovers alarming levels in infants.
Researchers analyzed three meconium samples, six infant feces samples, and ten adult feces samples from New York State residents, quantifying PET (common in food packaging and clothing) and PC (used in toys and bottles).
Trace PET and PC appeared in some meconium, indicating newborns already carry these plastics. Crucially, PET levels were ten times higher in infants than adults, with PC levels comparable.
Estimated daily infant exposures from diet reached 83,000 ng/kg body weight for PET and 860 ng/kg for PC—far exceeding adults' 5,800 ng/kg for PET and 200 ng/kg for PC.
Higher infant stool concentrations reflect greater exposure, likely from feeding utensils, pacifiers, sippy cups, and teething toys.
The authors conclude these findings offer "baseline evidence for microplastic exposure doses in infants and adults," urging larger studies to confirm and expand results. While health effects of microplastics are unclear, emerging evidence suggests potential risks.
