“Our initial hypothesis was that the synthetic gums would have a lot more microplastics because the base is a type of plastic,” Lisa Lowe, the study’s co-collaborator and a graduate student in Mohanty’s lab, explained in a statement. (Yes, certain types of synthetic gum contain petroleum-based polymers.)

Microplastics —tiny plastic bits that can take hundreds of years to break down—are everywhere, from tap water to tea bags, leaving traces in our blood and lungs. Now you can add your favorite chewing gum to the list, thanks to the alarming findings of a new study.

If we subject any type of plastic to stress, be it heat, friction, sunlight, seawater, or in this case vigorous mastication, we know that microplastics will be released from th