Scientists Find Microplastics in Blood For First Time

[Buufin]

Microplastics had already been spotted in oceans, air and food—now researchers have found it in human blood.​

Scientists have discovered microplastics in human blood for the first time, warning that the ubiquitous particles could also be making their way into organs.

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 Organization 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 Center, 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 Center.

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."

 

[cigaal shidaad]

cant make fun of celebs with plastic implants anymore cause we aint any better

 

[repo]

I wonder what the effect will be on child development if microplastics interferes with their endocrine systems. It's not surprising that mental health is worsening these days as their hormones are being disrupted.

 

[Sophisticate]

Here is the study:

Discovery and quantification of plastic particle pollution in human blood

Plastic particles are ubiquitous pollutants in the living environment and food chain but no study to date has reported on the internal exposure of pla…

www.sciencedirect.com

Nano plastics and microplastics are a problem. You are exposed to them daily, and aggregate exposure is challenging to quantify given that human risk assessment for plastics is developing and microplastics are not merely plastics but also contain a chemical cocktail.

Though the study's authors indicated that more needs to be known about the health implications of microplastics, they can disperse to various body sites and cross into the placenta. How long they remain in the body is unknown. One could extrapolate from research with regular polymers that the potential for reproductive, hormonal, and immunologic issues is manifold.

Ways to minimize personal exposure to microplastics include:

1. Stop drinking bottled water and drink filtered water.
2. Use eco-friendly packaging for bottles, jars, utensils, and containers (glass, stainless, bamboo).
3. Limit consumption of processed and packaged foods (i.e., canned foods may contain phthalate microplastics). And avoid take-out.
4. Limit seafood consumption, particularly shellfish.
5. Wear natural fibers and air dry your clothing.
6. Dust and vacuum regularly, particularly with a HEPA filter vacuum.
7. Avoid cosmetics and personal care products with plastics (i.e., micro-bead polymers).
8. Avoid glitter as it may contain Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and Polyethylene terephthalate (PET).
9. Don't use building materials that have plastic if you are doing a home renovation.
10. And take public transit whenever possible as car tires are a major source of microplastic pollution.

 

[Clllam]

I’ll be damned

 

[NordicSomali]

No more seafood

 

[Taij4an]

Here is the study:

Discovery and quantification of plastic particle pollution in human blood

Plastic particles are ubiquitous pollutants in the living environment and food chain but no study to date has reported on the internal exposure of pla…

www.sciencedirect.com

Nano plastics and microplastics are a problem. You are exposed to them daily, and aggregate exposure is challenging to quantify given that human risk assessment for plastics is developing and microplastics are not merely plastics but also contain a chemical cocktail.

Though the study's authors indicated that more needs to be known about the health implications of microplastics, they can disperse to various body sites and cross into the placenta. How long they remain in the body is unknown. One could extrapolate from research with regular polymers that the potential for reproductive, hormonal, and immunologic issues is manifold.

Ways to minimize personal exposure to microplastics include:

1. Stop drinking bottled water and drink filtered water.
2. Use eco-friendly packaging for bottles, jars, utensils, and containers (glass, stainless, bamboo).
3. Limit consumption of processed and packaged foods (i.e., canned foods may contain phthalate microplastics). And avoid take-out.
4. Limit seafood consumption, particularly shellfish.
5. Wear natural fibers and air dry your clothing.
6. Dust and vacuum regularly, particularly with a HEPA filter vacuum.
7. Avoid cosmetics and personal care products with plastics (i.e., micro-bead polymers).
8. Avoid glitter as it may contain Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and Polyethylene terephthalate (PET).
9. Don't use building materials that have plastic if you are doing a home renovation.
10. And take public transit whenever possible as car tires are a major source of microplastic pollution.

Have you read estrogeneration?

 

[Taij4an]

Microplastics had already been spotted in oceans, air and food—now researchers have found it in human blood.​

Scientists have discovered microplastics in human blood for the first time, warning that the ubiquitous particles could also be making their way into organs.

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 Organization 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 Center, 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 Center.

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."

Microplastics contain chemicals that mimic oestrogen in there shape, as well as other things in our modern world which increase the amount of oestrogen in our blood. What this really means is an increase in oestrogen for both men and women beyond the amounts which are natural causing various diseases ranging from cancer to atopic diseases(This is still debated upon but their is studies which back this up) to growth of breasts in men to obesity and many other things.
At the end of the day this will not change, consumerism and greed means people wont give up cheap sources of material for their products and plastic is very convenient, the effects of these things are unavoidable, as sophisticate mentioned in her reply there are ways to avoid it, but in actuality there are studies which show that there is microplastics in the air we breathe in everyday day, It will only get worse for the next generations, due to epigenetics, which is the way chemicals we are exposed to effect the way our DNA is expressed, the chemicals effect the DNA, and these things can actually be carried on to children.

Anyway enough with my waffle, if you want to do more research you can start with the book "Estrogeneration"

 

[Buufin]

Microplastics contain chemicals that mimic oestrogen in there shape, as well as other things in our modern world which increase the amount of oestrogen in our blood. What this really means is an increase in oestrogen for both men and women beyond the amounts which are natural causing various diseases ranging from cancer to atopic diseases(This is still debated upon but their is studies which back this up) to growth of breasts in men to obesity and many other things.
At the end of the day this will not change, consumerism and greed means people wont give up cheap sources of material for their products and plastic is very convenient, the effects of these things are unavoidable, as sophisticate mentioned in her reply there are ways to avoid it, but in actuality there are studies which show that there is microplastics in the air we breathe in everyday day, It will only get worse for the next generations, due to epigenetics, which is the way chemicals we are exposed to effect the way our DNA is expressed, the chemicals effect the DNA, and these things can actually be carried on to children.

Anyway enough with my waffle, if you want to do more research you can start with the book "Estrogeneration"

Thank you for your contribution and I have already read book.

 

[Sophisticate]

Have you read estrogeneration?

No, I haven't read the book. However, I'm aware of hormone modulators/endocrine disruptors.

• I'm aware that these xenoestrogens also impact fertility in women.
• Many food additives also have estrogen-mimicking effects.

Propyl gallate and 4-hexylresorcinol are two food additives with estrogenic effects that are found in common foods. And you wonder why I don't eat processed qashin. Be warned the list below is only a short list and given the rubbish people eat and the aggregate exposure they get even small levels can accumulate.

 

[mr.overeasy]

I drink so much bottle water it isn't even funny. I am probably 30% plastic right now.

 

[Taij4an]

No, I haven't read the book. However, I'm aware of hormone modulators/endocrine disruptors.

• I'm aware that these xenoestrogens also impact fertility in women.
• Many food additives also have estrogen-mimicking effects.

Propyl gallate and 4-hexylresorcinol are two food additives with estrogenic effects that are found in common foods. And you wonder why I don't eat processed qashin. Be warned the list below is only a short list and given the rubbish people eat and the aggregate exposure they get even small levels can accumulate.
View attachment 226586

View attachment 226587

its almost impossible to avoid if I am honest

 

[Sophisticate]

its almost impossible to avoid if I am honest

You can certainly control what you consume and put on your body (provided you have the means) and there are ways to minimize its effects and chelate some of these xenobiotics from the body using binders.

 

[Taij4an]

You can certainly control what you consume and put on your body (provided you have the means) and there are ways to minimize its effects and chelate some of these xenobiotics from the body using binders.

Yes but to completely avoid them would be impossible.

 

[Sophisticate]

Yes but to completely avoid them would be impossible.

Obviously. But a lot of people don't even do anything about them. Nor do they think to mitigate risk. I do not fault them for a lack of awareness/knowledge.