Theme: How do microplastic toxins accumulate and exert biological effects during early developmental stages of life?

Plastic pollution has been an emerging concern, harming wildlife, polluting soil and water, and contributing to climate change. Microplastics, which form when polluted plastics in the environment are broken down, cycle back to humans through the food and water we consume. Unsurprisingly, researchers have detected microplastics in various parts of the body, even within reproductive organs, the placenta, and breast milk. This implies that the pollutants are passed on and accumulate in the next generation even before birth. In recent studies, researchers have found evidence that suggests microplastics may play a role in promoting cancer. As a result, babies are born carrying pollutants that may potentially promote cancer throughout their lives, adding another layer to the growing concerns about plastic.

This artwork serves as a warning about the danger of microplastics, particularly its impact on future generations. For the baby figure, I used ResinCrete powder mixed with colored Mica powder to imitate the texture of microplastics, symbolizing how the next generations are already polluted by plastic. The use of synthetic fibers, commonly found in fast fashion, and pieces of plastic objects further symbolize the prevalence of dispersed plastic in our daily lives. To further emphasize how plastics break down into toxic particles that seep into a child’s body, I cut up snack packaging and adhered the fragments around the baby’s head.

Through this work, I hope to highlight the shocking reality of plastic not just as an environmental crisis but as a direct threat to human health. The baby with cancer symbolizes the future, where plastic poisons the young new generations.

References

Trinity College Dublin. (2020). High levels of microplastics released from infant feeding bottles during formula preparation.
https://www.tcd.ie/news_events/articles/high-levels-of-microplastics-released-from-infant-feeding-bottles-during-formula-prep/

ScienceDirect. (2023). Microplastics exposure and developmental toxicity. Environment International.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S016041202300569X

ScienceDirect. (2023). Microplastics in food systems and biological impact. Food Chemistry.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308814623028649