Particles discovered in tissue of 11 out of 13 patients undergoing surgery, with polypropylene and PET most common
Highlights
- Microplastic pollution found in almost all lung tissue taken from 13 patients undergoing surgery.
- Polyethylene, used in plastic bags, was one of the most common particles.
- Microplastics were detected in human blood for the first time in March, showing the particles can travel around the body and may lodge in organs.
- The impact on human health is as yet unknown, but researchers are concerned as microplastics cause damage to human cells in the laboratory and air pollution particles are already known to enter the body.
- The information could be used to create realistic conditions for laboratory experiments to determine health impacts.
- The research has been accepted for publication in Science of the Total Environment.