{"id":201236,"date":"2024-07-31T09:00:53","date_gmt":"2024-07-31T19:00:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/?p=201236"},"modified":"2024-07-30T12:56:10","modified_gmt":"2024-07-30T22:56:10","slug":"microplastics-effect-on-lung-health","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2024\/07\/31\/microplastics-effect-on-lung-health\/","title":{"rendered":"Microplastics\u2019 effect on lung health part of pioneering UH<\/abbr> study"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading time: <\/span> 2<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>
\"debris
Plastic and other debris in the ocean (Photo credit: Naja Bertolt Jensen\/Unsplash)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A groundbreaking project launched by the University of Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> at M\u0101noa to study the impact of microplastics on respiratory health has earned a three-year, $352,126 grant from the National Science Foundation<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Microplastics, tiny plastic particles resulting from the breakdown of larger plastics, can last for centuries, and may enter our bodies through what we eat, drink and breathe. Engineers are trying to figure out how these tiny plastic particles affect our health and the environment. The study, led by Professor Yi Zuo, aims to uncover the molecular mechanisms by which microplastics impact our respiratory systems.<\/p>\n

\"plastic
Plastic and other debris on a beach (Photo credit: Nick Russill\/Unsplash)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

“Our research is crucial because microplastics are everywhere in our environment, posting serious threats to water quality, marine wildlife and ecosystems, and human health,” said Zuo, a professor of mechanical engineering<\/a> in the College of Engineering<\/a> and adjunct professor of pediatrics in the John A. Burns School of Medicine<\/a>. “Microplastics have been found in the blood and lungs of healthy humans, highlighting an urgent need to understand their impact on our health, particularly our ability to breathe.”<\/p>\n

Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span>‘s waters and beaches rank among the most polluted environments by microplastics on Earth. Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> is in the path of one of the largest ocean currents that collect marine debris, which positions the state in the middle of the “Great Pacific Garbage Patch,” also known as the North Pacific Gyre. Most of Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span>‘s marine plastic debris accumulates on its windward beaches. Kamilo Beach, also known as “Plastic Beach,” located on the southeastern tip of Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> Island, is one of the world\u2019s most polluted places by plastics.<\/p>\n

Zuo\u2019s preliminary results, published in Environmental Science and Technology<\/em><\/a>, demonstrate that nanoscale plastic particles can accumulate at the surface of a lung fluid known as pulmonary surfactant, compromising its biological function to ease breathing.<\/p>\n

In addition to its scientific goals, the project emphasizes community engagement and diversity in science. Zuo plans to collaborate with local nonprofit organizations to raise public awareness about the dangers of microplastics and advocate for reducing early-life plastic exposure to protect children\u2019s health and well-being.<\/p>\n

The research team is also committed to promoting participation from underrepresented groups, including Native Hawaiians, Pacific Islanders, and students from low-income families, in line with the university’s dedication to fostering inclusivity in scientific research.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Engineers are trying to figure out how these tiny plastic particles affect our health and the environment.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[30],"tags":[179,182,1467,1363,1496,1600,9],"class_list":["post-201236","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-research","tag-college-of-engineering","tag-engineering","tag-manoa-excellence-in-research","tag-manoa-research","tag-mechanical-engineering","tag-public-impact-research","tag-uh-manoa","entry","has-media"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/201236","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/16"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=201236"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/201236\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":201247,"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/201236\/revisions\/201247"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=201236"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=201236"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=201236"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}