Microplastics fueling dramatic rise in bowel disease

By Mark Waghorn via SWNS

Microplastics are fuelling a dramatic rise in bowel disease, according to new research.

Higher quantities have been found in the stools of people with IBS (irritable bowel syndrome).

The tiny particles are ingested through drinking water and eating fish that in turn have eaten them.

Now a study has linked them to soaring cases of IBS which blights the lives of millions.

Corresponding author Dr Faming Zhang, of Nanjing Medical University in China, said it is the first study to link microplastics (MPs) to an illness.

He said: "Human consumption is inevitable due to the ubiquity of MPs in various foods and drinking water.

"Whether the ingestion of MPs poses a substantial risk to human health is far from understood."

He said exposure may be related to the actual development of IBS. Another possibility is the condition exacerbates the retention of MPs.

About 15 percent in the world of people have IBS - an umbrella term that includes Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.

Symptoms include crippling stomach pain, tiredness, flatulence, nausea, backache and problems peeing.

Incidence is increasing worldwide and women are 50 percent more prone than men.

Dr Zhang said: "Microplastics - less than 5mm in length – are everywhere, from bottled water to food to air."

It's estimated people consume tens of thousands of them each year, with unknown health consequences.

The study in Environmental Science & Technology found IBS patients have more in their faeces than healthy controls.

What's more, the worse their symptoms the more they had, explained Dr Zhang.

He said: "The fragments could be related to the disease process. Characterised by chronic inflammation of the digestive tract, IBS can be triggered or made worse by diet and environmental factors."

The findings were based on samples from 102 people across China - around half of whom had been diagnosed with the condition.

Analysis showed stools from the patients contained about 50 percent more microplastics per gram.

The shapes - mostly sheets and fibres - were similar in both groups. But the IBS faeces had more smaller particles.

The two most common types of plastic were PET (polyethylene terephthalate) used in bottles and food containers and PA (polyamide) found in food packaging and textiles.

People with more severe IBS tended to have higher levels of faecal microplastics.

Through a questionnaire, the researchers found people in both groups who drank bottled water, ate takeaway food and were often exposed to dust had more microplastics in their stools.

Dr Zhang said: "These results suggest people with IBS may be exposed to more microplastics in their gastrointestinal tract.

"However, it's still unclear whether this exposure could cause or contribute to IBD, or whether people with IBD accumulate more faecal microplastics as a result of their disease."

Animal experiments have shown microplastics cause intestinal inflammation - and alter gut bacteria.

Dr Zhang said: "We present evidence indicating a positive correlation exists between the concentration of faecal MPs and the severity of IBD.

"Combining a survey and the characteristics of faecal MPs, we conclude the plastic packaging of drinking water and food and dust exposure are important sources of human exposure.

"The relative mechanisms deserve further studies. Our results also highlight faecal MPs are useful for assessing human MP exposure and potential health risks."

Microplastics originate from degradation of larger objects such as bags, bottles, fishing nets, personal care products and tyres.

Plastic is found everywhere on Earth - from deserts and mountaintops to deep oceans and Arctic snow.

A global model by Leeds University has found 1.3 billion tonnes of plastic is destined for the environment - both on land and in the ocean - by 2040.

Greenpeace has urged the UK government to ban the export of plastic waste to all countries, invest in a domestic recycling industry and set a binding target for plastic reduction.

It also revealed how plastic waste from seven major UK supermarkets was being burned and dumped in Turkey rather than being recycled. It wants ministers to ban all exports of plastic by 2025.

Dr Zhang said: "For the first time, this study reveals there is a significant difference in the concentration of MPs in faeces from IBS patients and healthy people.

"Moreover, the concentration is positively correlated with the severity of IBS, indicating MP exposure may be associated with the occurrence and development of intestinal diseases or diseases enhance the susceptibility and retention of MPs."