Micro-plastics found in human blood
- Chloe Petermann
- Apr 15, 2022
- 2 min read
Plastic pollution has been a major issue for a long time, endangering vital ecosystems and species. From the Great Barrier Reef to the top of Mount Everest, plastic is now ubiquitous. Micro-plastics, fragments of plastic less than 5mmm in length, have even been found in drinking water systems and even drifting in the air. During a March study, scientists have discovered them in human blood for the first time.
In a Dutch case study of 22 healthy adults, micro-plastics were found in the blood of 17 of them. They have also been found in adult and baby excrements.
It is already a known fact that people ingest plastic particles through food and water. Research has shown that a majority of them are transmitted through PET plastics, commonly found in plastic bottles, polystyrene, most used in plastic food packaging, and polyethylene, utilised in plastic bags.
The research raises flags for the health of babies, who are exposed to microplastics through plastic bottles, swallowing millions of particles a day. Indeed, ten times more microplastics were found in their faeces than in adults.
Another recent study has also found these same particles deep in the lungs of humans, first discovered in the tissue of patients undergoing surgery. Among 13 patients, microplastics were found in 11 of them.
The effects the microplastics have on our health are still yet to be determined but scientists are rushing to find out. Here’s what we know so far: microplastics can deform cell membranes by hooking onto red blood cells and prevent the transportation of oxygen to the other organs. Research on pregnant rats show that the particles pass through vital organs, including the heart, lungs and brain of the foetus.
Further research is urgently needed to uncover the effects micro and nano-plastics have on the functioning of the human body, especially in light of the increase in plastic production. Research has also once again highlighted the desperate need to take action to resolve plastic and air pollution, affecting our health as well as our future generation’s.
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