Biodegradable bags are often marketed as a more environmentally friendly alternative to traditional plastic bags. However, a new study has raised doubts about this claim. Researchers from Southeast University in China have warned that these “eco-friendly” options may actually be toxic. In their study, the team examined the effects of consuming biodegradable plastic on mice. They found that mice that ingested particles from biodegradable bags developed health issues, including liver and ovarian damage. “Starch-based biodegradable plastic may not be as safe and beneficial to health as initially thought,” stated Professor Yunfen Deng, a co-author of the study.
As is well known, microplastics released from the degradation of petroleum-based plastic products enter the human body in significant amounts through food, drinking water, and even air. Bags made from such plastics decompose extremely slowly, polluting the environment for hundreds of years. However, the study’s findings have sparked concerns about the effects of starch-based biodegradable plastic particles.
What else did the researchers discover? Starch-based plastic is considered a safer and more eco-friendly alternative because it decomposes easily. The researchers decided to test its effects on three groups of mice, each consisting of five individuals. The first group was fed a regular diet, while the other two groups consumed food containing starch-based microplastics, as reported by the Daily Mail. (The doses were calculated based on the portions of microplastics that an average person might ingest.) The team fed the rodents this way for three months and then assessed their organ tissues, metabolic functions, and gut bacteria.
The analysis revealed that compared to those on a regular diet, the mice that received certain doses of starch-based plastic particles suffered damage to multiple organs, including the liver and ovaries. They also found that these mice exhibited disruptions in molecular biomarkers related to sugar and fat metabolism, as well as an imbalance in gut bacteria. “Prolonged exposure to starch-based microplastics in small doses may lead to a wide range of health consequences, including disruptions in circadian rhythms and glucose and lipid metabolism,” noted Professor Deng.
The team stated that their findings, published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, highlight the need for further research. Primarily, scientists need to understand what happens to these biodegradable particles in the body. A previous study on this topic by researchers from the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) found that biodegradable bags are a “source of high-level toxicity” that affects fish. The authors of that study, published in the Journal of Hazardous Materials, noted: “Our hypothesis is that manufacturers add chemical additives to create biodegradable bags that may be particularly toxic.”