Science Roundup July 2025 Part Two
The Defender’s Big Chemical NewsWatch delivers the latest headlines, from a variety of news sources, related to toxic chemicals and their effect on human health and the environment
Scientists Issue Warning After Discovering Dangerous Particles Blowing in Wind: ‘The Impacts on Human Health Are Concerning’
Sewage overflows and coastal winds could be sending “billions” of microplastics into the air, according to a study. While research is still in its early stages, scientists worry about the health impacts of this airborne plastic pollution.
What’s happening?
The Plymouth Marine Laboratory study, published in the journal Scientific Reports, analyzed two years of data on sewer overflows and wind conditions in Plymouth Sound, off the coast of England, to determine when conditions were conducive to “aerosolization” — the transfer of microplastics into the air.
Out of those two years, 178 days had conditions that could have resulted in microplastics and nanoplastics (MNPs) being carried from the sea to the air. Once in the air, the MNPs could have been inhaled by humans, the scientists hypothesized.
The group of experts from the University of Plymouth and the Plymouth Marine Laboratory conducted the study to test whether these conditions could be a significant source of air pollution.
Memory Problems Today Tied to Leaded Gas Levels Half a Century Earlier
People who grew up in U.S. areas with high atmospheric lead levels were about 20 percent more likely to report memory problems 50 years later, a study of more than 600,000 older adults showed.
Compared with people from areas with the lowest atmospheric lead levels, the odds of reported memory impairment were higher in people from areas with moderate levels (OR 1.21, 95 percent CI 1.17-1.25), high levels (OR 1.21, 95 percent CI 1.17-1.25), and extremely high levels (OR 1.19, 95 percent CI 1.13-1.25), said Eric Brown, MD, MSc, of the University of Toronto, at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference.
A replication cohort showed similar outcomes for older adults who grew up in areas with moderate (OR 1.17, 95 percent CI 1.12-1.21), high (OR 1.20, 95 percent CI 1.16-1.25), or extremely high lead levels (OR 1.22, 95 percent CI 1.15-1.29). “Our study may help us understand the pathways that contribute to some people developing dementia and Alzheimer’s disease,” Brown said in a statement. Lead originally was added to gasoline to increase performance but gradually was taken off the market due to health and environmental concerns.
In the U.S., leaded gas was banned in new vehicles starting with model year 1975. Recent research estimated that 170 million Americans were exposed to high lead levels in early childhood; for some, high blood lead levels correlated with a drop in IQ. Other studies demonstrated that childhood lead exposure in drinking water was associated with lower cognitive functioning at older ages.
The Life of Plastic
The story starts with a single thread of polyester, dislodged from the weave of a cheap, pink acrylic jumper as it spins around a washing machine. This load of washing will shed hundreds of thousands of tiny plastic fragments and threads – up to 700,000 in this one washing machine cycle.
Along with billions of other microscopic, synthetic fibres, our thread travels through household wastewater pipes. Often, it ends up as sewage sludge, being spread on a farmer’s field to help crops grow.
Sludge is used as organic fertilizer across the U.S. and Europe, inadvertently turning the soil into a huge global reservoir of microplastics. One wastewater treatment plant in Wales found 1% of the weight of sewage sludge was plastic.
From here, it works its way up the food chain through insects, birds, mammals and even humans. Perhaps our jumper’s life as a garment will end soon, lasting only a few outings before it emerges from the wash shrunken and bobbling, to be discarded.
But our thread’s life will be long. It might have only been part of a jumper for a few weeks, but it could voyage around the natural world for centuries.
Scientists Raise Concerns After Shocking Discovery in 94 percent of Fish Samples: ‘Very Dangerous’
Humanity’s reliance on plastic-based essentials is causing problems. Scientists warn that people, especially those in Southeast Asia, are ingesting microplastics regularly, putting their health at risk. According to Channel News Asia, a study conducted in Indonesia found that almost 94% of fish sampled from Jakarta Bay contained microplastics in their gills and guts.
Additionally, research from Cornell University revealed that Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam topped a list of 109 nations where people consume microplastics through seafood. Southeast Asian nations generate over 30 million tons of plastic waste annually, contributing significantly to plastic pollution in the world’s water bodies, according to the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies.
Single-use, non-recyclable sachets make up most of the trash. They hold various products from coffee and condiments to shampoos and skin care products.
Their exposure to ocean currents, sunshine, and water acidity causes plastic to fragment into tiny pieces or microplastics, which sea creatures mistake for food.
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