A new study shows that scientists have found microplastics in human blood for the first time and warn that such ubiquitous particles may also enter all organs of the body.
Microplastics are defined as tiny plastic fragments smaller than 5 millimeters in diameter, sourced from the 8 billion tons of plastic produced worldwide since the 1950s, less than 10 percent of which are recycled, AFP reported on March 25. The rest will eventually break down, and from the deepest oceans to the highest mountains, as well as the air, soil and food chain, this almost invisible plastic particle has been found in almost every corner of the planet.
Microplastics are plastic fragments with a diameter of less than 5 mm
The latest issue of Environment International, a top journal in environmental science and health, on March 25, published a study by Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam in the Netherlands that examined blood samples from 22 anonymous healthy volunteers and found that nearly 80 percent of them contained microplastics.
The study tested five plastics: polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS), polyethylene (PE), and polyethylene terephthalate (PET).
The study tested 5 plastic components
About half of the blood samples show traces of PET plastic, which is widely used in the manufacture of beverage bottles and mineral water bottles. While more than a third of blood samples contain PS, a plastic used in single-use food packaging materials and many other products.
Shockingly, the researchers found as many as three different types of microplastics in one blood sample. The difference between the presence and absence of microplastics in the blood may be due to exposure to plastic before a blood sample is taken. For example, a volunteer who tests positive for microplastics in his blood may have recently drunk coffee from a plastic cup.
Some previous studies have found microplastics in the brain, intestines, placenta of unborn babies, and adult and infant feces, but have never found microplastics in blood samples.
Dick Vethaak, an ecotoxicologist at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, says this is the first time we've really been able to detect and quantify this microplastic in human blood. "This proves that there is plastic in the human body, and we should not do this."
Visak called for further research to investigate the health effects of plastics. "Where will it go inside you?" Can it be ruled out? Can it be excreted from the body? Or is it stuck in certain organs, accumulating and even passing through the blood-brain barrier? He let out a series of questions.
According to the study, microplastics may enter the human body through many channels: through air, water or food, but also through specific products such as toothpaste, lip gloss and tattoo ink. The study suggests that, theoretically, plastic particles may be transported through the bloodstream into the organs.
Microplastics are found in almost every corner of the globe
The study was funded by the Dutch Health Research and Development Organisation and the UK Common Ocean Organisation. Common Ocean UK aims to advocate for a reduction in plastic pollution. Alice Horton, a scientist at the UK's National Ocean centre who studies anthropogenic pollutants, said the study was "definitive" proof of the presence of microplastics in the blood.
Horton told the Science Media Center: "This study provides evidence that plastic particles are not only found throughout the environment, but also penetrate into our bodies. ”
Fay Couceiro, a senior lecturer in biogeochemistry and environmental pollution at the University of Portsmouth in the UK, said that despite the small sample size and the lack of data on the exposure levels of test participants, she thought the study was "compelling and can stand up to scrutiny".
Cuzeiro also called for further research, "after all, blood connects all the organs of our body, and if plastic is present, it may exist anywhere in our body".
The health effects of ingesting microplastics are unclear, although studies claim it causes human cell death and allergic reactions. According to another 2021 study, microplastics can cause animals to become infected with gut inflammation, gut microbiome disorders, and other problems, which can lead to inflammatory bowel disease in humans. Another study published last year found that microplastics can deform the body's cell membranes and affect their function.
Nandu reporter Shi Minglei