Howard G. Smith MD, AM on Instagram: "Microplastics Are Polluting Your Chewing Gum Chewing gum releases some 637 microplastic particles per gram of gum, and 94% of this plastic is released during the first 8 minutes of chewing. UCLA environmental engineers report this finding at the American Chemical Society’s Spring 2025 Meeting after a small pilot study. Using infrared microscopy and smartphone-based detection, the team tested 10 commercial gum brands, five synthetic and five natural, and determined that both types, release similar quantities of microplastics. The most common type of plastic released was polyolefin, also found in food packaging and containers. The researchers estimate that the typical gum-chewing enthusiast might ingest around 30,000 microplastic particles per year. Add that to the micro- and nano-plastics that you might swallow from bottled water and single use plastic containers. To date, there are no large-scale definitive studies of micro/nanoplastic toxicity in humans, but I do discuss a troublesome epidemiological study in an accompanying report. Nonetheless, published marine studies should alarm us. Microplastics appear to inhibit marine organism growth, increase oxidative stress, decrease feeding behavior, promote genetic mutations, create neurotoxicity, and, most worrisome, compromise reproductive capability. https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/chewing-gum-contributes-microplastic-ingestion-2025a10007mu?form=fpf https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/03/250325120151.htm https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10647433/?utm_source=chatgpt.com #microplastics #nanoplastics #chewinggum #bottled #water #containers"

0 likes, 0 comments - drhowardsmithreports on April 22, 2025: "Microplastics Are Polluting Your Chewing Gum Chewing gum releases some 637 microplastic particles per gram of gum, and 94% of this plastic is released during the first 8 minutes of chewing. UCLA environmental engineers report this finding at the American Chemical Society’s Spring 2025 Meeting after a small pilot study. Using infrared microscopy and smartphone-based detection, the team tested 10 commercial gum brands, five synthetic and five natural, and determined that both types, release similar quantities of microplastics. The most common type of plastic released was polyolefin, also found in food packaging and containers. The researchers estimate that the typical gum-chewing enthusiast might ingest around 30,000 microplastic particles per year. Add that to the micro- and nano-plastics that you might swallow from bottled water and single use plastic containers. To date, there are no large-scale definitive studies of micro/nanoplastic toxicity in humans, but I do discuss a troublesome epidemiological study in an accompanying report. Nonetheless, published marine studies should alarm us. Microplastics appear to inhibit marine organism growth, increase oxidative stress, decrease feeding behavior, promote genetic mutations, create neurotoxicity, and, most worrisome, compromise reproductive capability. https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/chewing-gum-contributes-microplastic-ingestion-2025a10007mu?form=fpf https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/03/250325120151.htm https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10647433/?utm_source=chatgpt.com #microplastics #nanoplastics #chewinggum #bottled #water #containers".

Scientists Say They'll Cut Back on Bottled Water After Learning 1 Liter Contains a Quarter of a Million Pieces of Plastic

A recent study analyzed bottled water bought at a major retailer and found one liter contained an average of 240,000 microscopic pieces of plastic.

Pluralistic: Amazon’s bestselling “bitter lemon” energy drink was bottled delivery driver piss (20 Oct 2023) – Pluralistic: Daily links from Cory Doctorow

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“In the drinks menu the cider is called "Cider Reserve" - but I couldn't find it on #untappd - not even using the Brewery named #SamuelSmith... 😞 Had half a pint. - Drinking an Organic Cider by @samsmithsbeer @ The Waterguard — https://t.co/CZIsOn1Q6P”