Microplastics have been found in nearly every part of the body. Here are the places they've been found that have scientists most concerned.
Kaitlin Sullivan is a health and science journalist based in Colorado. She's been part of multiple award-winning investigations into health topics including the international medical device industry and maternal mortality in New York City.Nick Blackmer is a librarian, fact-checker, and researcher with more than 20 years of experience in consumer-facing health and wellness content.The lungs, blood, and brain are some of the places that have scientists most concerned.
Although research into body-bound plastic’s impact on health is in the early stages, scientists have become increasingly concerned about the substance's potential effects.A study published in 2022 showed that researchers had detected bits of microplastics in nearly 80% of the 22 healthy people who had blood drawn.Given that plastic fragments are ubiquitous in the air, scientists believe the lungs are often the gateway for microplastics, and even more so, nanoplastics, to enter the body..
Although the study showed an association and did not prove causation, Johnson said the research marked a significant milestone. It suggested that plastic detected years earlier may be linked to future health outcomes—something that had previously only been shown in lab studies.In a study published in January 2021, researchers found microplastics in four of the six placentas they analyzed.
“It’s gone beyond that point,” he said. “It is so ubiquitous in our environment, there isn’t much we can do to completely avoid it.”
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