Researchers Have Found Microplastics In Every Human Tissue They Studied

Microplastics are known to have infiltrated the oceans, land, air, food chain of animals and, now, finally, even the human organs and tissues, according to scientists.

According to Plastic Oceans, some 300 million tons of plastic waste is produced each year. It is not biodegradable, so the products break down into smaller and smaller pieces called microplastics that are less than 0.2 inches (5mm) and nanoplastics, less than 0.001 mm.

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Microplastics' effects on marine ecosystems are well known and there is reportedly growing evidence of their effect on human health.

A new research by two graduate students at Arizona State University (ASU), aimed to see if microplastics were accumulating in human organs.

A 2018 study already discovered that microplastics were found to have passed through the human gut, according to Independent.

The researchers Charles Rolsky and Varun Kelkar took samples of 47 human tissue samples- taken from lungs, liver, spleen and kidneys, and found components of plastic contamination in every sample.

Also Read: Pollution Reaches Most Remote Region As Scientists Discover Microplastics In Antarctic Sea Ice

Bisphenol A (BPA), which is still used to manufacture food containers despite links to health issues such as cardiovascular problems, was reportedly found in all 47 samples.

The students presented their findings at the American Chemical Society's (ACS) virtual expo. ¡°You can find plastics contaminating the environment at virtually every location on the globe, and in a few short decades, we¡¯ve gone from seeing plastic as a wonderful benefit to considering it a threat. There¡¯s evidence that plastic is making its way into our bodies, but very few studies have looked for it there. And at this point, we don¡¯t know whether this plastic is just a nuisance or whether it represents a human health hazard,¡± Independent quoted Mr Rolsky as saying.

This is apparently the first study to examine micro- and nanoplastics in human organs, where the samples have come from people with documented environmental exposure.

Also Read: In Highest Level Ever Recorded, 1.9 Million Pieces Of Microplastic Found Crowding The Seafloor!

Representational Image/CoastMonkey

¡°The tissue donors provided detailed information on their lifestyle, diet and occupational exposures. Because these donors have such well-defined histories, our study provides the first clues on potential micro- and nanoplastic exposure sources and routes," Dr Rolf Halden reportedly said. He runs the ASU lab.

The presence of microplastics in human organs is a matter of grave concern.

Also Read: This Boy Found A Way To Remove Microplastic From Our Oceans And Won Rs 36 Lakh For His Idea