The study suggests that pregnant women may pass plastic on to their children.

There is early evidence that pregnant mammals pass on small pieces of plastic in the womb to their offspring, raising concerns that they can also be passed from mother to fetus in humans.

Tiny particles from disposable plastic bottles less than a billionth of a meter in size were absorbed through the placenta and then carried by mothers to the liver, kidneys, heart, lungs and brains, according to a study of pregnant and newborn rats.

It was already known that plastic enters the placenta of pregnant animals, and people ingest plastic for the amount of a credit card every week. But these studies have not determined whether mothers pass plastic to their babies in the womb, which is what this latest study does.

A study presented at the American Association for the Advancement of Science conference in Washington found that tiny, ingested plastics, such as those that soak most food and water, “are passed from pregnant rats to their unborn children, interfering with development. …may affect the fetus.” “.

Professor Philip Democritou of Rutgers University in New Jersey called the results of his study “very disturbing.”

“This is definitely cause for concern,” he said. “A day later, we found this micro- and nanoplastic from the stomach of a pregnant animal in the placenta. More importantly, we found them in every organ of the fetus, indicating possible developmental implications.

“These results indicate that ingested nanoscale polystyrene plastic can disrupt the intestinal barrier of pregnant mammals, the barrier between mother and fetus, the placenta and all fetal tissues.”

He added: “I don’t want to scare people, but this is a new pollutant and we have a lot of unknowns in terms of risks.

“Erosion removes microscopic particles from billions of tons of plastic exposed to environmental elements. These particles mix with the food we eat and the air we breathe. The average person charges their credit card every week.”

Dr Demokritou added: “We cannot go back to the stone age, but as a society we must become smarter and adopt sustainable concepts to avoid such crises.”

“Petroleum-based plastics are not biodegradable, but weathering and photo-oxidation break them down into small fragments. These tiny fragments, called micro-nanoplastics, are found in human lungs, placenta and blood, raising concerns for human health. As public health researchers, we are trying to assess the health risks from such emerging pollution,” he said.

“It has not yet been proven that the amount of nanoscale plastic that pregnant women inevitably ingest affects their children, although some research suggests that plastic affects human embryonic development,” said Prof Demokritou.

Dr. Luisa Campagnolo, an embryology expert at Rome’s Tor Vergata University who was not involved in the study, warned that there is growing evidence of micro- and nanoplastics penetrating human tissue.

“There is evidence that the fetus is most likely a target for plastic particles. And so I would not stuff the placenta with plastic particles, so as not to harm the fetus, ”she said at the AAAS conference.

However, she also pointed out that research on the effects of micro- and nanoplastics on human health is still in its infancy and it is important not to jump to conclusions about the dangers.

The study is small – only five pregnant rats and their offspring are being studied – it is not yet clear if the results are extrapolated to humans.

But the researchers say it provides further disturbing evidence that plastic is permeating all levels of the human and animal bodies and their offspring, as well as all levels of the food chain.

Their full health effects are still poorly understood, but there is growing evidence that they can potentially cause all sorts of problems, especially when consumed in large amounts. There are concerns that the tiny fragments could release chemicals that have been linked to infertility, obesity, diabetes, prostate and breast cancer.

Other studies on pregnant laboratory animals have shown that adding plastic to food harms their offspring in a variety of ways, limiting the growth of their offspring and affecting the development of their brain, liver, testicles, immune system, and metabolism during pregnancy.

Craig Bennett, CEO of The Wildlife Trusts, said: “This study confirms my concerns that we are only at the beginning of the plastic problem. Plastic pollution is already destroying our seas, rivers and landscapes.

“Research shows how humans and wildlife absorb microplastics through food, drink and breath. Despite all the public concern about this, the government refuses to follow the precautionary principle and completely bans the use of petroleum-based plastics.”

Nina Wardrobe, Head of Plastics at Greenpeace UK, added: “The scale of plastic pollution is extremely alarming, everywhere from the deepest oceans to the high Arctic, in our water, our air, our soil and our food. And, of course, in your own body.

“The fact that nanoplastics seem to be able to overcome the natural barriers that normally protect the blood, brain and developing offspring from contamination is another cause for concern.

“The amount of plastic waste in the world’s natural systems is growing rapidly, yet the government is responding to some symbolic bans on certain products to create positive headlines and little effort is made to define the health impacts of microplastics that plague us. the world could have. This study shows exactly why this work is so necessary.”

Dr Campagnolo said there are simple steps we can all take to protect our health. Plastic bottles can release dirt, especially when exposed to sunlight, which we then drink.

“It’s probably less convenient, but we shouldn’t be drinking water from plastic bottles,” she said.

“We shouldn’t panic if we’re sitting in a plastic chair, but I think we should avoid anything that’s disposable, anything that comes into contact with food, like using plastic containers in the microwave. We must return to the glass. Single-use plastic was probably used over 30-40 years ago, but we can rethink this approach.”

A study published in the journal Nanomaterials provided five pregnant rats with specially labeled nanoscale plastic. Subsequent imaging showed that these plastic particles had infiltrated not only their placenta, but also the liver, kidneys, heart, lungs and brains of their offspring.

Future studies will explore how different types of plastic cross cellular barriers, how the particle size of the plastic affects the process, and how the plastic affects fetal development, the researchers said.