Scientists have discovered microplastics in human blood for the first time,
warning that the ubiquitous particles could also be making their way into
organs.
اضافة اعلان
The tiny pieces of mostly invisible plastic have already been found almost
everywhere else on Earth, from the deepest oceans to the highest mountains as
well as in the air, soil and food chain.
A Dutch study published in the Environment International journal on Thursday
examined blood samples from 22 anonymous, healthy volunteers and found
microplastics in nearly 80 percent of them.
Half of the blood samples showed traces of PET plastic, widely used to make
drink bottles, while more than a third had polystyrene, used for disposable
food containers and many other products.
"This is the first time we have actually been able to detect and
quantify" such microplastics in human blood, said Dick Vethaak, an
ecotoxicologist at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam.
"This is proof that we have plastics in our body -- and we
shouldn't," he told AFP, calling for further research to investigate how
it could be impacting health.
"Where is it going in your body? Can it be eliminated? Excreted? Or is
it retained in certain organs, accumulating maybe, or is it even able to pass the
blood-brain barrier?"
The study said the microplastics could have entered the body by many routes:
via air, water or food, but also in products such as particular toothpastes,
lip glosses and tattoo ink.
"It is scientifically plausible that plastic particles may be
transported to organs via the bloodstream," the study added.
Vethaak also said there could be other kinds of microplastics in blood his
study did not pick up -- for example, it could not detect particles larger than
the diameter of the needle used to take the sample.
The study was funded by the Netherlands Organisation for Health Research and
Development as well as Common Seas, a UK-based group aimed at reducing plastic
pollution.
Alice Horton, anthropogenic contaminants scientist at Britain's National
Oceanography Centre, said the study "unequivocally" proved there was
microplastics in blood.
"This study contributes to the evidence that plastic particles have not
just pervaded throughout the environment, but are pervading our bodies
too," she told the Science Media Centre.
Fay Couceiro, reader in biogeochemistry and environmental pollution at the
University of Portsmouth, said that despite the small sample size and lack of
data on the exposure level of participants, she felt the study was "robust
and will stand up to scrutiny".
She also called for further research.
"After all blood links all the organs of our body and if plastic is
there, it could be anywhere in us."
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