A pilot experiment to study microplastics inside human hearts and blood samples was conducted by scientists at Beijing Anzhen Hospital in China at the beginning of August, 2023. Heart samples were taken from 15 patients aged 40-75 while they underwent surgery. Blood samples were also examined from seven of the patients. Scientists found eight different types of plastics, including polyethylene terephthalate and polyvinyl chloride, in the samples of heart tissue, with tens to thousands of individual microplastic pieces found in most of the samples. Although evidence proved that some pieces of plastic had entered the heart during the surgery, various plastic types that were not present during the surgery process were also found in the tissue samples.
Furthermore, all the blood samples taken contained microplastic particles. However, more plastic particles were found in the heart tissue than the blood samples. These results showed that the heart and other tissues are more likely to accumulate and retain plastic particles than blood. Although more research is needed to tell exactly how cardiovascular health is affected by microplastics, it is clear that microplastics are becoming an increasing threat to the health of our planet, including human life.
While most people have heard the term “microplastics” before and might even be aware of their negative environmental impacts, few understand how the particles enter the human body: do you know how to reduce the amount of plastic that accumulates in your body? Is it even possible to do so?
Well, microplastics are often formed when synthetic polymer products (made from petroleum oil), such as plastic packaging are not discarded properly. The term “microplastics” are often defined as polymer compounds smaller than 5mm that occur when larger plastic products are broken down into smaller sizes. But that doesn’t answer the question at hand of how they end up in human bodies. Technically, microplastics can be found almost everywhere! Just look around you: how many plastic items can you notice just in your immediate surroundings? All of the plastic items in the world that end up in the environment will at some point become microplastics. Most microplastics are not visible to the human eye, leading to their easy entry into our bodies.
Research has shown that microplastics most likely enter our systems through ingestion (the food we eat) and inhalation (the air we breathe). Microplastics enter the air in our atmosphere due to human activities. Tires and brakes during rush hour, as well as the exhaust gases produced by industrial processes (including in factories), create small particles that will rise into the air. These microplastic particles that rise into our atmosphere are very light and small, which makes it easy for them to be transported over continents and oceans in forms including fog, wind, ocean air, and snow, and reach broad ranges of ecosystems.
Plastics which enter our foods and water, as a result, enter our bodies and can collect in our tissues and bloodstream. In 2020, an Italian study showed that microplastics are found in the fruits and vegetables that we eat every day. The reason for this is most likely due to plastic particles being present in the soil which are then absorbed by the produce. Another study from the Netherlands where scientists took samples from pigs and cows with the aim of exploring how livestock absorb plastic particles present in their food, water, or air. The results demonstrated that 75% of the pigs and cows involved in the experiment included microplastics.
As microplastics are found in practically all drinking water, whether it be tap water or bottled water, this necessary liquid is also a big contributor to the plastic particles that wind up in our bodies. This unfortunate truth may be due to the fact that water has come in contact with the particles at the source, during distribution, or, if the water is bottled, from its plastic packaging.
It might seem scary to think about how many things contain microplastics, but international organizations such as the European Union (EU) are attempting to minimize microplastic production. The simplest way to reduce microplastics is to cut down on the number of synthetic plastic products made and control the way in which they are disposed. As of October 18th of this year, the EU has banned plastic glitter, preventing anyone from buying or selling glitter in any of the Union’s 27 countries. But don’t say goodbye to your shimmery crafting just yet: the ban technically only targets glitter that is insoluble and nonbiodegradable owing to its likelihood of polluting our ecosystems (specifically oceans) As a result, the industry of glitter that is made from soluble and natural materials is still legal.
The EU has also made an effort to promote recycling and decrease the amount of garbage going to landfills. Currently, only 25% of all the generated plastic waste is sent to landfills, with the remaining percent being recycled. The most common method of disposal is currently energy recovery, which turns non-recyclable waste into usable heat, different fuels, and electricity.
These initiatives are just the beginning of what will hopefully be a future with far fewer plastic particles in our environment and bodies.
Bibliography:
Spek, Harmen. “Plastic Found in the Human Heart.” Plastic Soup Foundation, 25 Aug. 2023, www.plasticsoupfoundation.org/en/2023/08/plastic-found-in-the-human-heart/.
“Microplastics Found in Human Heart Tissues, Both before and after Surgical Procedures.” American Chemical Society, www.acs.org/pressroom/presspacs/2023/august/microplastics-found-in-human-heart-tissues-before-and-after-surgical-procedures.html. Accessed 1 Nov. 2023.
Lee, Yongjin, et al. “Health Effects of Microplastic Exposures: Current Issues and Perspectives in South Korea.” Yonsei Medical Journal, U.S. National Library of Medicine, May 2023, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10151227/.
“Researchers Found Microplastics in Human Lungs and Bloodstreams. Should We Be Concerned?” NBCNews.Com, NBCUniversal News Group, www.nbcnews.com/science/science-news/microplastics-human-body-know-dont-know-rcna23331. Accessed 2 Nov. 2023.
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Pinto-Rodrigues, Anne. “Microplastics Are in Our Bodies. Here’s Why We Don’t Know the Health Risks.” Science News, 10 Apr. 2023, www.sciencenews.org/article/microplastics-human-bodies-health-risks.
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