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The Amniotic Fluid: An Echo of Lifeʹs Aquatic Past, And Micro and Nanoplastics Invasion
Summary
This paper draws a parallel between the chemical composition of amniotic fluid and ancient oceans, then examines the growing concern about micro- and nanoplastic contamination of the prenatal environment. The study highlights evidence that plastic particles can reach the amniotic fluid, raising questions about potential impacts on fetal development during a critical window of vulnerability.
The hypothesis of abiogenesis posits that life originated in the aquatic environments of early Earth, approximately 3.8-4.0 billion years ago. These ancient oceans, often referred to as the "primordial soup," contained a complex chemical composition influenced by geological, hydrothermal, and atmospheric activities. This solution included dissolved ions such as sodium, chloride, potassium, calcium, magnesium, sulfate, and bicarbonate, determined by geochemical processes. Early cellular life developed mechanisms of homeostasis, maintaining a stable internal environment despite external fluctuations. The cell membrane, composed of a lipid bilayer with embedded proteins, regulated ionic and molecular traffic, maintaining electrochemical gradients essential for cellular functions. Amniotic fluid recapitulates these evolutionary and homeostatic principles, providing an ideal aquatic environment for fetal development. The ionic similarity between amniotic fluid and ancient oceans reflects phylogenetic conservation and ontogenetic recapitulation. Prenatal exposure to environmental toxicants, including metals, organic pollutants, nicotine, and endocrine-disrupting compounds, negatively impacts maternal and fetal health. Micro and nanoplastic (MNPs) derivatives, along with plastic-related substances like phthalates, while colonizing the oceans, enter the human body and occupy organs, including the placenta and amniotic fluid. This highlights the importance of reducing plastic production and environmental release. The One Health concept recognizes the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health, aiming to balance and optimize their health. Amniotic fluid is an evolutionary solution that allows the fetus to thrive in an environment reminiscent of our distant aquatic past, providing stability and protection for its development. Human beings must maintain amniotic fluid that generates health and prosperity, for this reason they must also maintain the oceans in the same way, because both are children of the same space-time.