A pioneering study has found microplastic contamination in human blood for the first time in nearly 80% of people studied.
The impact this has on our health is unknown at this time. But researchers are very concerned because microplastics damage human cells in the laboratory, and particles from air pollution are already known to enter the body and cause millions of premature deaths a year.
By analyzing blood samples from 22 donors, all healthy adults, plastic particles were found in 17 of them.
Half contained PET plastic, which is commonly used in beverage bottles, while 1/3 contained polystyrene, used to package food and other products. A quarter of the blood samples contained polyethylene, from which plastic bags are made.
The microplastics are there and they move throughout the body.
Infants and young children in general are known to be more vulnerable to exposure to chemicals and particles, which is of great concern.
The new research is published in the journal Environment International and adapts existing techniques to detect and analyze particles down to 0.0007mm. Some of the blood samples contained two or three types of plastic. The team used special equipment to avoid contamination.