Researchers, who analyzed soiled diapers in babies and newborns, made a disturbing discovery
Bottles, plastic toys, soft toys, play mats, various synthetic fabrics … Children, who crawl on the floor and use to put everything in their mouths, are surrounded by plastic and this can have consequences for their health.
Indeed, according to a new study presented by the American magazine “Wired” and sent by it By “Slate” this Friday There are ten times more microplastics in the stools of children than adults.
worrying results
The researchers were interested in the presence of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polycarbonate in the stools of six children aged one year, three newborns, and ten adults. They deliberately exclude polypropylene, a plastic used to make diapers.
And the findings are alarming: While the amount of polycarbonate is the same in all study participants, there is ten times more PET in the stool of children than in adults. Small amounts are also found in newborns, which means that the plastic was present in their bodies when they were born.
endocrine disruption
Scientists have expressed concern that infant development may actually be affected endocrine disruptionThese chemicals in plastic disrupt the hormonal system, to the point of being implicated in the emergence of some types of cancer.
“Children’s body development depends on a healthy endocrine system, and the opposite affects the early stages of life,” explains Kurunthachalam Kannan, an environmental health scientist at New York University School of Medicine and co-author of the study.
Scientists will now look at the true effects of these microplastics on the children’s body in order to more accurately determine the health risks.
Sophie Laurent is a contributor to Vaughantoday.ca, covering a wide range of topics including local news, politics, business, technology, sports, entertainment, and lifestyle. She focuses on delivering clear, balanced reporting that helps readers stay informed about current events and issues that matter to their communities. Sophie is committed to presenting accurate information, practical insights, and relevant stories in a straightforward and reader-friendly manner, making complex topics accessible to a broad audience.