As we boast about the grandeur of our accomplishments and the monumental legacy we shall leave behind, a clandestine truth lurks beneath the surface. While we revel in our perceived greatness, the real legacy we are leaving behind is not one of grandeur — but of minuscule proportions. Enter the world of microplastics: the understated remnants of our plastic obsession, silently shaping an enduring narrative of environmental impact.

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More than our hundred and thirty billion kilograms of plastic are manufactured every year, in which nearly sixty seven percent of which become waste. Cigarettes, clothing, textiles, and cosmetics: all of these contain microplastics, in which the overconsumption and successive wastage presents a pernicious problem with bioaccumulation. Subsequently, a new wave of problems emerged: microplastics. Defined as pieces of plastic less than 5 millimetres long, these tiny particles are detrimental to all aspects of health and life. What is lesser known, is how these toxic chemicals from microplastics can be absorbed by human skin and inhaled. 

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In a quest to unravel the implications of these imperceptible substances on human well-being, researchers embarked on an extraordinary journey using 3-dimensional human skin equivalent models. Their mission was to unearth the intricate dynamics of microplastics and related flame retardants, and their potential ability to infiltrate the human body through the skin's resilient barrier. Armed with relentless curiosity, these intrepid researchers meticulously studied the absorption patterns of these clandestine particles, Investigating the possibility of these synthetic agents permeating the skin, and the blood stream. 

Further, researchers sought to shed light on the impact of perspiration, applying a specially designed film liquid to simulate the effect of sweat on the skin models; the detection of an array of flame retardant chemicals within the skin. Five of the tested flame retardants, namely BDE 47, 99, 100, 153, and 183, breached the formidable skin barrier, and thus into the human bloodstream. Yet, amidst this marvel, they also uncovered a poignant truth - only a minute fraction of these infiltrators managed to traverse into the bloodstream, unveiling a tale of both resilience and vulnerability.

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While the type of microplastic exhibited a nuanced influence on the presence of flame retardant chemicals in the skin, its impact stood poised at the threshold of significance. They found that exposure to polyethylene microplastics led to a heightened accumulation within the skin, casting a captivating juxtaposition against the marginally lesser accumulation witnessed with exposure to polypropylene microplastics. However, amidst these compelling dynamics, the veil of significance remained elusive, as the type of microplastic yielded no substantial impact on the quantities of flame retardant chemicals that embarked on the captivating journey into the bloodstream, a revelation that echoed the intricate equilibrium of this microscopic narrative. Thus, research has highlighted the pivotal role of skin hydration in shaping the absorption of flame-retardant chemicals. In general, sweatier skin wielded an unprecedented influence, enhancing the dermal bioavailability of these enigmatic chemicals —  the absorbed concentrations of BDE 47 rose to greater heights when the skin stood resiliently dry.

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“This skin-model study with lab-made microplastics gets us thinking about the permeability of the skin barrier to plastic’s additives — in this case flame retardants that might be in the microplastics shedding off our electronic devices and certain textiles,” stated Heather Leslie, PhD, a scientist specialising in the impact of microplastics in humans.