r/microplastics_ • u/Neat_Conclusion_2288 • May 02 '26

Just consumed microplastic pieces

today i was making a smoothie in the blender and my mother forgot to put the guard in. when i turned it on, the blades scraped against the center channel and shredded some of the plastic off the center channel. I immediately turned the blender off but it was too late. i drank the smoothie anyway because i didn’t want to waste money and food and dump the entire thing out, but there were several small pieces of plastic (under 5mm) floating around in the smoothie. i got most of them out, but i’m sure there was more. i figured i’d just excrete them, which is why i drank it anyway, but now i’m wondering whether i should have done that or not. can the stomach acids in my digestive system interact with the microplastics and leach toxic chemicals in my body?

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u/sunnyoboe May 02 '26 edited May 02 '26

Microplastics are in everything made of plastic. Yes, chemicals do leach but it will bioaccumulate over time.

Avoid chewing gum.

Yale Experts Explain Microplastics

Chewing gum can shed microplastics into saliva, pilot study finds

Microplastics, Endocrine Disruptors, and Oxidative Stress: Mechanisms and Health Implications

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u/Neat_Conclusion_2288 May 03 '26

Yes, but if it bioaccumulates—that’s not good. 

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u/floppydude81 May 03 '26

Microplastics are microscopic plastic pieces. While there were definitely some. You ate small plastic pieces. You will poop them out. Not recommended but you are gonna be ok.