Important research projects addressing challenges from skin cancer to traffic injuries at The University of Queensland have been awarded more than $50.
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Healthy partnership extended for further two years
Improving Australia’s safe drinking water standards and a nationwide wastewater sampling program linking with the Census are among projects as part of a $1.3 million partnership between The University of Queensland and Queensland Health.
Alliance Director Professor Kevin Thomas said QAEHS and Queensland Health shared a common goal – for healthy people to live in a healthy environment.
“Partnering with Queensland Health is an avenue to provide expert opinion, advice and training to those on the frontline, underscoring the relevance of our research,” Professor Thomas said.
“Together, we will continue to simultaneously achieve first-class outcomes in research, training and partnership engagement.”
Health effects of microplastics uncertain, despite their omnipresence
Plastic is rife in dust, rice, placentas and tap water, but experts say that it is difficult to determine whether it is harmful to humans
By Graham Readfearn / The Guardian
As much as the idea might be unpalatable, all of our diets are now likely to include tiny servings of plastic.
The places where microplastics and plastic fibers have been found is beginning to read like a supermarket shopping list.
Studies have found microplastics that is, pieces or fibers smaller than 5mm in foods including tea, salt, seaweed, milk, seafood, honey, sugar, beer, vegetables and soft drinks. Tap water contains plastic. Bottled water contains even more.
Microplastic Warning: Experts Recommend Washing Rice to Avoid Eating Plastic
Australian researchers recommend we rinse our rice to avoid ingesting plastics, according to a world-first study measuring the levels of microplastic in rice.
The lead author of the research, Jake O’Brien, said that people might consume 3 to 4 mg of plastic through a single-serve of uncooked rice. Plastics in instant rice, which undergoes more processing, were four-fold higher, according to the study just published in the Journal of Hazardous Material. Microplastics have been detected in rice, an Australian research paper has found. (Joker/Alexander Stein/Getty Images)
“All of our samples, regardless of the packaging it came in, had some levels of plastic,” O’Brien told 9News.
Rice, a staple in millions of Australian homes, may contain potentially dangerous microplastics, according to scientists.
Researchers at the University of Queensland found Australians may consume up to 4mg of plastic in an average 100g serve of uncooked rice.
Boiling the rice to cook it is unlikely to get rid of the microplastics as it has no filtration system.
The world-first study also identified 13mg of plastics per 100g of instant or pre-cooked store-bought rice, a popular staple for busy families.
The Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences researchers found uncooked rice may have 3-4mg of plastic in 100g serve (pictured: stock image of microplastics)