Scientists Say Microplastics are Found in Human Blood

In our oceans, microplastics are one of the major sources of plastic pollution.

An international team of scientists studied more than 600 different types of plastic and found microscopic particles of plastic in about 80% of the samples tested.

Blood plasma, which contains lots of nutrients, vitamins and other beneficial substances, is not only a superfood that keeps you healthy but is also rich in antioxidants, and it’s also a great source of protein and amino acid.

There’s no question that the world is polluted with plastics. From mountaineering to food and water for human consumption, there’s plenty of plastic waste to make plastic pollution a serious issue.

The study revealed that blood samples from 22 healthy adults were analyzed, with “quantifiable” plastic particles found in 17 i.e. 77% of those samples.

According to the study, the scientists used steel syringe needles and glass tubes to avoid contamination, and tested for background levels of microplastics using blank samples.

What is microplastic?

A small piece of plastic is typically no more than 5mm in diameter.

Plastics of many kinds make up a large part of the pollution problem on the planet.

According to the report, the impact on the health of human is unknown yet, but researchers are concerned as microplastics cause damage to human cells in the laboratory.

You can reduce pollution by eating food grown with less plastic, reducing food waste, choosing reusable containers, taking the stairs over elevators and biking or walking for short trips rather than driving.

An interesting study last year found microplastic in faeces of babies and adults.

Microplastics are a growing environmental problem, mostly released into the environment from the breakage of bigger plastic objects.

Plastic products like bottles, bags, fishing nets, and food packaging break down into microplastics and eventually find their way into the soil, water, and the air. If the ingredients of a toothpaste mention polyethylene, it has microplastic in it, which is usually marketed as “cooling crystals”. Microplastics are a threat to the environment because they are difficult to dispose of.

What the Research Says

Scientists have found tiny plastic fragments in the blood of almost everyone they tested.

More than half the blood samples contained PET plastics that are used in drinking bottles. A third of the samples contained polystyrene, which is used for packaging of food and other products.

A quarter of the blood samples had polyethylene, which is used to make plastic carrier bags.

Prof. Dick Vethaak of Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam said that this is the first time scientists have detected polymers in human blood.

prof Vethaak said “but we have to extend the research and increase the sample sizes, the number of polymers assessed, etc. Further studies by a number of groups are already under way, the Guardian quoted.

A recent study showed that babies are drinking billions of microscopic particles of plastic every day.

The study, published in the journal Environment International, used technology to detect and analyze particles that are as small as 0.0007 millimeters.

Be the first to comment

Leave a Reply