A growing body of scientific evidence shows that microplastics are also accumulating in the human brain. This study has prompted researchers to call for more urgent action caused by plastic. Previous research has already found tiny slivers and specks of plastic in the lungs, placentas, reproductive organs, liver, kidneys, knee and elbow joints, blood vessels and bone marrow. In light of the study’s findings, “it is imperative to declare a global emergency” to address plastic pollution, explained Sedat Gündoğdu of Cukurova University in Türkiye.
What are microplastics
Microplastics are fragments less than 5 mm in diameter and can be found in air, water and even food. The health risks of microplastics in the human body are not yet well known. Recent studies are showing that these substances can lead to cell damage and inflammation as well. Animal studies have also linked microplastics to fertility problems, various types of cancer, impaired endocrine and immune systems, and learning and memory difficulties.
Contaminated brain samples
In one of the latest studies carried outresearchers have discovered a particularly concerning accumulation of microplastics in human brain samples. An examination of livers, kidneys and brains from autopsied bodies revealed that all contained microplastics, but the 91 brain samples contained on average about 10 to 20 times more than the other organs. The findings were a shock, according to lead study author Matthew Campen, a toxicologist and professor of pharmaceutical sciences at the University of New Mexico.
The researchers found that 24 brain samples, collected in early 2024, contained about 0.5% plastic on average. “It’s pretty alarming,” Campen said. “There is a lot more plastic in our brains than I ever expected.” The study describes the brain as “one of the most plastic-polluted tissues ever sampled.”
Read more:
