A recent study conducted in the Netherlands found microplastics in human blood for the first time, raising more questions than it answered about potential health implications.
Large plastic waste pollution garners much attention from conservationists and the media. However, many people may not be aware of the growing problem of microplastic pollution, much of which is not visible to the human eye.
Studies show that microplastics, particles of plastic less than 5 millimeters in size, are ever-present in our atmosphere, water, and food. Some estimates predict that humans can consume up to a credit card’s worth of microplastics every year.
The study, funded by the Netherlands Organisation for Health Research and Development, created a method to quantify the number of plastics and polymers present in one’s bloodstream. Through a process involving adding chemicals, heating, and freezing blood samples, researchers were able to isolate microplastics.
The study was conducted using the blood of 22 different volunteers. Although the sample size was small, microplastics were found in 80% of the people who donated blood to the study.
As first reported by the Guardian, half of the blood samples contained plastic commonly found in bottled beverages. Another quarter contained polyethylene, which is the main component in plastic bags.
“It is certainly reasonable to be concerned,” said Professor Dick Vethaak, who contributed to the study.
Vethaak also noted that he has found that babies often have ten times as many microplastics in their bodies as adults.
“Babies and young children are more vulnerable to chemical and particle exposure,” he stated.
The professor cautioned that, due to the study’s small sample size, no drastic conclusions should be drawn.
However, numerous studies suggest consumption of microplastics poses a potential danger to human health.
One study found that, in a lab setting, relevant doses of microplastics damaged human cell walls and even caused allergic reactions and cell death.
Another lab test found that rodents pass microplastics from mother to baby in utero, with the particles quickly finding their way into the fetus’s heart and kidneys.
Vethaak, who co-authored the findings report for the study, stressed the need for continued research.
“The big question is, what is happening in our body? Are the particles retained in the body? Are they transported to certain organs, such as getting past the blood-brain barrier? And are these levels sufficiently high to trigger disease?” he asked. “We urgently need to fund further research so we can find out.