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Microplastics Found in Human Blood
New Study results can’t be good
As if we didn’t have enough to worry about in our modern society with pandemics, climate change, nuclear war and cyber-attacks, now we can add microplastics to our list as possibly a big future problem in regard to our health.
Scientists took blood samples from 22 donors who were all healthy adults. Seventeen of the 22 were found to have plastic particles in their blood in a pioneering study in the Netherlands. The plastic types include polystyrene, polyethylene and PET which are widely used in plastic drinking bottles, food packaging and plastic bags.
The fear which will need to be confirmed is that these plastics can collect in organs, and it is still unknown whether they can pass through the blood-brain barrier. In past studies, it was found that microplastics can attach to the outside of red blood cells and they may limit the red blood cells’ capacity to transport oxygen.
Before we panic, much more study is needed. There is an urgency emerging, especially in the UK and the EU. A big concern…
