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Fermented food can help expel nanoplastics from body
Scientists have written extensively about the prevalence of microplastics and nanoplastics in the environment and in our bodies. Microplastics are larger than a micrometre (1 millionth of a metre), while nanoplastics are smaller than a micrometre. A new study has found that bacteria from the fermented Korean dish kimchi can help to expel nanoplastics from the body. Researchers at the World Institute of Kimchi in South Korea have discovered a microbe that can attach itself to nanoplastics in the gut. The foreign body is then safely expelled in our bodily waste. The plastic does not pass through the intestinal lining and accumulate in organs like the brain, heart, kidneys, and liver.
Nanoplastics are of increasing concern to the medical community. There are many unknown side effects of these tiny particles being in our organs. Current estimates suggest people take in up to 120,000 microscopic fragments every year. Newspapers often print stories about our body containing 7 grams of plastic, which is about the mass of a credit card. The Korean scientists believe their research might alleviate the accumulation of plastic in our bodies. Lead researcher Dr Se-hee Lee said: "Microorganisms derived from traditional fermented foods could represent a new biological approach to address this emerging challenge. We will continue to expand the scientific value of kimchi."
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Chat
Talk about these words from the article.
scientists / microplastics / the environment / bacteria /
fermented / kimchi / the brain / the medical community /
newspapers / credit card / microorganisms / challenge
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Discussion
1) What did you think when you read the headline?
2) What images are in your mind when you hear the word 'plastic'?
3) What do you know about the Korean food kimchi?
4) What other fermented food do you know about?
5) How worried are you about nanoplastics?
6) How much do we need plastic?
7) How can we use plastic less?
8) How do you feel when you see plastic pollution on beaches?
9) What side effects might there be of plastic in our body?
10) How healthy do you think you are?
