All 4 Graded Readings
Fermented food can help expel nanoplastics from body
PRINT ALL READINGS (PDF)Kimchi - Level 0
Scientists write a lot about nanoplastics. These are smaller than one millionth of a metre. A new study found that bacteria from the Korean dish kimchi can help to remove nanoplastics from the body. The World Institute of Kimchi found a microbe that sticks to nanoplastic. It takes nanoplastics out of our bodies.
There are many side effects of nanoplastic. We may have seven grams of it in our body. This is about the size of a credit card. Scientists believe their research might help to reduce the plastic in our bodies. They believe fermented food like kimchi could be a new way to fight the nanoplastic problem.
SPEED READING
MORE
Online activities | 8-page printable (PDF)
Kimchi - Level 1
Scientists have written a lot about microplastics and nanoplastics. Microplastics are larger than 1 millionth of a metre, while nanoplastics are smaller. A new study has found that bacteria from the Korean dish kimchi can help to take nanoplastics out of the body. The World Institute of Kimchi found a microbe that sticks to nanoplastic. The nanoplastic safely leaves in our bodily waste. The plastic does not get to organs like the brain and kidneys.
Doctors say there are many side effects of nanoplastic. People take in up to 120,000 pieces of nanoplastic every year. We may have seven grams of it in our body. This is about the size of a credit card. Scientists believe their research might help to reduce the plastic in our bodies. The lead researcher said fermented foods could be "a new biological approach" to tackle the nanoplastic problem. He will continue to look at how kimchi can help us and our health.
SPEED READING
MORE
Online activities | 8-page printable (PDF)
Kimchi - Level 2
Slowest
Scientists have written a lot about how many microplastics and nanoplastics are in the environment and in our bodies. Microplastics are larger than 1 millionth of a metre, while nanoplastics are smaller than that. A new study has found that bacteria from the fermented Korean dish kimchi can help to take nanoplastics out of the body. The World Institute of Kimchi discovered a microbe that attaches itself to nanoplastics in the stomach. The nanoplastic then safely leaves in our bodily waste. It does not pass through our body and into organs like the brain, heart, kidneys, and liver.
Nanoplastics are worrying the medical community. There are many side effects. Doctors believe people take in up to 120,000 tiny pieces of nanoplastic every year. Newspapers often print stories about our body having 7 grams of plastic. This is about the size of a credit card. The scientists in Korea believe their research might help to reduce the plastic in our bodies. The lead researcher said fermented foods could be "a new biological approach" to tackle the nanoplastic problem. He will continue to look at how kimchi can help us and our health.
SPEED READING
MORE
Online activities | 8-page printable (PDF)
Kimchi - Level 3
Scientists have written extensively about the prevalence of microplastics and nanoplastics in the environment and in our bodies. Microplastics are larger than a micrometre (1 millionth of a metre), while nanoplastics are smaller than a micrometre. A new study has found that bacteria from the fermented Korean dish kimchi can help to expel nanoplastics from the body. Researchers at the World Institute of Kimchi in South Korea have discovered a microbe that can attach itself to nanoplastics in the gut. The foreign body is then safely expelled in our bodily waste. The plastic does not pass through the intestinal lining and accumulate in organs like the brain, heart, kidneys, and liver.
Nanoplastics are of increasing concern to the medical community. There are many unknown side effects of these tiny particles being in our organs. Current estimates suggest people take in up to 120,000 microscopic fragments every year. Newspapers often print stories about our body containing 7 grams of plastic, which is about the mass of a credit card. The Korean scientists believe their research might alleviate the accumulation of plastic in our bodies. Lead researcher Dr Se-hee Lee said: "Microorganisms derived from traditional fermented foods could represent a new biological approach to address this emerging challenge. We will continue to expand the scientific value of kimchi."
SPEED READING
MORE
MY e-BOOK
See a sample
This useful resource has hundreds of ideas, activity templates, reproducible activities for …
and a whole lot more.