Nearly 80% of the individuals tested in their study had these particles present. Raising alarm about potential long-term health effects.
The research indicates that these microplastics can circulate through the body.
They can potentially lodge in vital organs.
The exact impact on human health remains unknown. Scientists are concerned because laboratory tests have already shown that such particles can damage human cells.
The findings build on earlier evidence of air pollution particles. The cause of millions of premature deaths annually.
Furthermore, massive amounts of plastic waste continue to accumulate in the environment, with evidence of plastic pollution ranging from the summit of Mount Everest to the depths of the oceans. Scientists have already identified microplastics in food, water, and even the air we breathe. These particles have also been detected in the feces of both adults and infants.
In this groundbreaking study, researchers analyzed blood samples from 22 healthy participants and found plastic particles in 17 individuals. PET plastic, commonly used in drink bottles, was found in half of the samples, while polystyrene, prevalent in food and product packaging, appeared in one-third.
Professor Dick Vethaak, an ecotoxicologist from Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, described the study as a breakthrough, marking the first evidence of plastic polymers in human blood.
Vethaak also expressed deep concern, citing earlier findings that babies fed with plastic bottles consume millions of microplastic particles daily and that levels of microplastics in infant feces are 10 times higher than in adults. “Babies and young children are more vulnerable to chemical and particle exposure, and that worries me a lot,” he added.
While the concentration of plastic particles varied across samples, Vethaak emphasized the urgent need for further research. “The big question is: what’s happening inside our bodies? Are they reaching vital organs, like crossing the blood-brain barrier? And are the levels high enough to trigger disease?”
Vethaak co-authored a recent review paper. That assessed the link between microplastics and cancer risk.
The review called for urgent, detailed studies. To understand how microplastics affect human biological processes, including whether they can transform cells and contribute to carcinogenesis.
“Given the exponential rise in plastic production, this issue is becoming more pressing with each passing day,” he concluded.
