Microplastic particles can now be found in human organs

21 October 2020

Microplastic and nanoplastic particles can now be observed in human organs thanks to a new technique.

Microplastics have polluted the entire planet, yet their potential impact on human health is not well-known. Researchers have recently identified chemical traces of plastic in human tissue.

The analytical method developed allows to identify dozens of types of plastic, including the polyethylene terephthalate (PET) used in plastic drinks bottles and the polyethylene used in plastic bags. Researchers found bisphenol A (BPA), a chemical used to make plastics, in all 47 samples of their study. This substance has raised many is concerns because “it is a reproductive, developmental and systemic toxicant in animal studies”. The researchers examined lung, liver, spleen and kidney tissue as these organs are likely to be exposed to microplastics or collect them.

Other work has shown different kinds of nanoparticles from air pollution are present in human hearts and brains, and have been linked to brain cancer.

Read the full story from the Guardian here.