Microplastic contamination in human breast milk: A disquieting disparity linked to seafood consumption in an economically disadvantaged fishermen community settled along the Karachi coast

Plastic pollution has emerged as a pervasive global concern, with plastic waste contributing to the generation of microplastic particles (MPs) that have now integrated seamlessly into the human food chain. Intriguingly, early life exposure to MPs in children may occur through breast milk. This preliminary involved the analysis of human breast milk samples collected from 15 healthy breastfeeding mothers of the fishing community (BMSF) with daily habits of sea-food consumption and 8 healthy breastfeeding mothers (BMSH) with no history of seafood consumption in the past month and analyzed using microscopy and micro-Fourier-transformed infrared spectroscopy. In the BMSF group, a total of 276 MPs while 49 MPs were found in the BMSH group, indicating a substantial difference in MPs presence. The most prevalent MPs in both groups were fibers and pellets which fell within the size range of 5 to 18 µm, with polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, and polypropylene being the most frequently observed types. Statistical analysis revealed a significant difference in the abundance of MPs between the two communities (F=13.57, P=0.001; Mann-Whitney U test, p 0.05). These findings emphasize the urgent need for further research to explore the potential health implications of MPs exposure through breast milk, especially in economically disadvantaged and vulnerable communities’ i.e. pregnant women, lactating mothers and children, with high seafood consumption.