Microplastics Infiltrating Brain Tissue, Studies. 'Nowhere Left Untouched.' Accumulation in Human Organs

The Guardian, Aug. 21, 2024. Edit. 24 brain samples collected in early 2024 measured on average about 0.5% plastic by weight.
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A growing body of scientific evidence shows that microplastics are accumulating in critical human organs, including the brain, leading researchers to call for more urgent actions to rein in plastic pollution. Studies have detected tiny shards and specks of plastics in human lungs, placentas, reproductive organs, livers, kidneys, knee and elbow joints, blood vessels and bone marrow. “It is now imperative to declare a global emergency” to deal with plastic pollution, said Sedat Gündoğdu, who studies microplastics at Cukurova Univ. in Turkey.

Humans are exposed to microplastics – defined as fragments smaller than 5mm in diameter – and the chemicals used to make plastics from widespread plastic pollution in air, water and even food. "There’s much more plastic in our brains than I ever would have imagined or been comfortable with" - Matthew Campen, Univ. of New Mexico. The health hazards of microplastics within the human body are not yet well-known. Recent studies are just beginning to suggest they could increase the risk of various conditions such as oxidative stress, which can lead to cell damage and inflammation, as well as cardiovascular disease.

Animal studies have also linked microplastics to fertility issues, various cancers, a disrupted endocrine and immune system, and impaired learning and memory.

There are currently no governmental standards for plastic particles in food or water in the U.S. The EPA is working on crafting guidelines for measuring them, and has been giving out grants since 2018. Finding microplastics in more and more human organs “raises a lot of concerns”, given what we know about health effects in animals, studies of human cells in the lab, and emerging epidemiological studies, said Bethanie Carney Almroth at the Univ. of Gothenburg in Sweden. The Journal of Hazardous Materials published a study that found microplastics in all 16 samples of bone marrow examined.

All samples contained polystyrene, used to make packing for peanuts and electronics, and almost all contained polyethylene, used in clear food wrap, detergent bottles and other common household products. Another recent paper looking at 45 patients undergoing hip or knee surgery in Beijing, China, found microplastics in the membranous lining of every single hip or knee joint examined. A handful of studies have also now found contamination in human placentas.

“There’s nowhere left untouched from the deep sea to the atmosphere to the human brain,” Almroth said...

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/article/2024/aug/21/microplastics-brain-pollution-health
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- What are phthalates? EWG/Environmental Working Group.

Phthalates are a class of endocrine-disrupting chemicals. These chemicals are associated with health harms, including increased risk of cancer, asthma and allergies, and learning attention and behavioral difficulties in children.
They are found in many consumer products, including paint, plastics, fragrance and personal care products, such as nail polish...Read More,
https://www.ewg.org/news-insights/news/2023/07/what-are-phthalates