Synthetic clothing, when laundered, releases tiny fragments of plastic into the water, contributing to the accumulation of micro- and nanoplastics in our oceans. However, recent findings suggest that some nanoplastics might actually be water-insoluble oligomer molecules, which are medium-sized polymer molecules consisting of relatively few repeating monomer units. These oligomers are soluble in ethanol and could potentially pose health risks similar to those associated with nanoplastics.
Oligomer Molecules and Potential Health Risks
The discovery that some nanoplastics are actually oligomer molecules is significant because these medium-sized polymer molecules may have different properties and potential health impacts compared to traditional nanoplastics. Oligomers are soluble in ethanol, which means they could potentially be absorbed more readily by the human body than water-insoluble nanoplastics.