Given the research findings, “it is now imperative to declare a global emergency” to deal with plastic pollution, said Sedat Gündoğdu, who studies microplastics at Cukurova University in Turkey.
Animal studies have also linked microplastics to fertility issues, various cancers, a disrupted endocrine and immune system, and impaired learning and memory.
The researchers found that 24 of the brain samples, which were collected in early 2024, measured on average about 0.5% plastic by weight.
The pre-print brain study led by Campen also hinted at a concerning link.
In the study, researchers looked at 12 brain samples from people who had died with dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease.
“I don’t know how much more plastic our brain can stuff in without it causing some problems,” Campen said.
The American Chemistry Council, which represents plastic and chemical manufacturers, did not directly respond to questions about the recent studies finding microplastics in human organs.
“There’s nowhere left untouched from the deep sea to the atmosphere to the human brain,” Almroth said.
Researchers have called for more immediate action to reduce plastic pollution as a growing body of scientific evidence indicates that microplastics are building up in vital human organs, including the brain.
Research has found minute fragments and particles of plastic in human lungs, placentas, reproductive organs, livers, kidneys, knee and elbow joints, blood vessels, and bone marrow.
Sedat Gündoğdu, a microplastics researcher at Cukurova University in Turkey, stated that “it is now imperative to declare a global emergency” to address plastic pollution in light of the research findings.
Microplastics, which are particles smaller than 5 mm in diameter, and the chemicals used to make plastics are present in air, water, and even food, exposing humans to the effects of widespread plastic pollution.
It is currently unknown how harmful microplastics can be to human health. They may raise the risk of a number of illnesses, including cardiovascular disease and oxidative stress, which can cause inflammation and cell damage. These are just the first indications from recent research.
Microplastics have also been related in animal studies to learning and memory impairment, immune system disruption, endocrine system disruption, and fertility problems.
At this time, the US government has no regulations governing the amount of plastic particles in food or water. Since 2018, the Environmental Protection Agency has awarded grants to develop innovative methods for promptly detecting and quantifying them, and is currently working on developing guidelines for measuring them.
The discovery of microplastics in an increasing number of human organs “raises a lot of concerns,” according to Bethanie Carney Almroth, an ecotoxicologist at the University of Gothenburg in Sweden, given what is known about the health effects on animals, studies of human cells in the lab, and developing epidemiological studies. I’d say it’s scary. “.
“Really concerning.”.
Researchers discovered a particularly alarming build-up of microplastics in brain samples in one of the most recent studies to surface; the National Institutes of Health has posted the pre-print paper, which is still undergoing peer review, online.
Microplastics were found in the brains, kidneys, and livers of autopsied bodies; however, the 91 brain samples had, on average, 10–20 times more microplastics than the other organs. Lead author Matthew Campen of the University of New Mexico, a toxicologist and professor of pharmaceutical sciences, said the findings were unexpected.
At the beginning of 2024, 24 brain samples were obtained, and the researchers discovered that the average measurement for these samples was approximately 0.5 percent plastic.
It’s quite concerning, according to Campen. “I never would have thought that our brains would contain so much plastic. “.
According to the study, the brain is “one of the most plastic-polluted tissues yet sampled.”.
A troubling connection was also suggested by Campen’s pre-print brain study. Twelve brain samples from patients who had passed away from dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease, were examined by researchers for this study. Up to ten times as much plastic was present in these brains by weight as in healthy samples.
“Campen expressed uncertainty about the amount of plastic our brain can absorb before experiencing complications.”.
The study also discovered that the amount of microplastics in brain samples from 2024 was roughly 50% greater than the total in samples from 2016, indicating that the concentration of microplastics in human brains is increasing at a pace comparable to that of the environment. The majority of the organs were obtained from Albuquerque, New Mexico’s Office of the Medical Investigator, which looks into violent or unexpected deaths.
You can draw a line that shows how it gets longer over time. It makes sense given what you’re witnessing in the surroundings, according to Campen.
According to Almroth of the University of Gothenburg, who was not involved in the paper, numerous other studies have discovered microplastics in the brains of various animal species, so it’s not totally surprising that the same could be true for humans.
“The blood-brain barrier is not as protective as we’d like to think” about these sneaky particles, according to Almroth, who was referring to the network of membranes that prevents numerous chemicals and infections from getting to the central nervous system.
Expansion of study.
The Journal of Hazardous Materials released a study last month that revealed microplastics in every one of the 16 bone marrow samples that were looked at, which is a first for the field and raises more questions regarding accumulation in the human body. Nearly all of the samples contained polyethylene, which is used in clear food wrap, detergent bottles, and other everyday household products, and all of the samples contained polystyrene, which is used to package electronics and peanuts.
A different recent study that examined 45 patients in Beijing, China who were having hip or knee surgery discovered microplastics in the membrane lining of each and every hip and knee joint that was looked at.
In all 23 human and 47 canine testicles examined, microplastics were found; the concentration of microplastics in human samples was nearly three times higher than in canine samples, according to a study published on May 15 in the journal Toxicological Sciences. Dog testicular weights were found to be inversely correlated with higher concentrations of specific plastic particle types, such as polyethylene, which is the primary ingredient in plastic water bottles.
Four out of five men receiving penile implants to treat erectile dysfunction had plastic particles found in their penises, according to a different study published on June 19 in the International Journal of Impotence Research.
Lead author of the study and University of Miami urologist and medical researcher Ranjith Ramasamy said, “The potential health effects are concerning, especially considering the unknown long-term consequences of microplastics accumulating in sensitive tissues like the reproductive organs.”.
A study conducted in May by a Chinese team, meanwhile, revealed trace amounts of microplastics in each of the 40 participants’ semen. A few months earlier, similar findings were reported in an Italian paper.
Contamination in human placentas has now also been discovered in a few studies. Micro-and nanoplastics were detected in all 62 placental samples, according to a study published in the May issue of Toxicological Sciences, however the concentrations varied greatly.
An Italian study monitored 312 patients who had carotid artery plaques (fatty deposits) removed. Nearly six out of ten individuals had microplastics, and they fared worse than those without: over the course of the following 34 months, they had a 21-fold increased risk of dying or having a heart attack or stroke.
“Nowhere is unaffected.”.
According to a statement on the FDA’s website, “levels of microplastics or nanoplastics detected in foods do not appear to pose a risk to human health at this time due to current scientific evidence.”. “.
Yet, scientists advise people to try to limit their exposure by drinking tap water rather than bottled water, avoiding the use of plastic for food preparation—especially when microwaving—and attempting to stop dust from collecting, which is contaminated with plastics. Reduce your intake of meat, especially processed meat, according to some researchers.
The effects of microplastic accumulation in humans are still mostly unknown, according to medical researcher Leonardo Trasande of New York University. However, he noted that the harmful effects of chemicals found in plastics, like phthalates, on human health are better established. According to a study he co-authored, exposure to phthalates raised the risk of cardiovascular disease and death in the US, resulting in lost productivity worth at least $39 billion annually.
Such chemicals have the potential to contaminate and enter the body through microplastic particles. According to Trasande, micro- and nanoplastics could be useful vehicles for harmful substances.
In response to inquiries concerning the recent research revealing microplastics in human organs, the American Chemistry Council, which speaks for producers of chemicals and plastics, remained silent. Vice-president of the organization Kimberly Wise White stated that “the global plastics industry is dedicated to advancing the scientific understanding of microplastics.”.
Working toward a global treaty to end plastic pollution is a process that the United Nations Environment Assembly agreed to start two years ago.
According to a number of news reports published in the past week, the Biden administration has indicated that the US delegation participating in the discussions will back efforts to lower global plastic production, which experts believe is essential to solving the issue.
The deep sea, the atmosphere, and the human brain are all completely unaffected, according to Almroth.
