New research suggests the microplastics health risk may not be as bad as we thought

""Researchers found that the nitrile and latex gloves that scientists wear while measuring microplastics may be leading to false positives of the tiny pollutants.""

""The gloves are coated with non-plastic particles called stearates-soap-like particles which can rub off or shed onto lab equipment, creating thousands of false positives per square millimeter.""

""We may be overestimating microplastics, but there should be none," Anne McNeil stated, emphasizing the ongoing issue of microplastics in the environment."

""Microplastics are literally small pieces of plastic, less than five millimeters long, released into the environment and are the most common source of debris on our oceans and lakes.""

A study from the University of Michigan suggests that nitrile and latex gloves used in microplastics research may lead to false positives due to shedding stearates. These particles can contaminate lab equipment, resulting in misleading data about microplastics. Despite the potential overestimation of health risks, researchers emphasize that microplastics are still a serious environmental concern. Microplastics, defined as plastic pieces smaller than five millimeters, are prevalent in oceans and lakes and can enter drinking water through various products.

Read at Fast Company