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Microplastics are infiltrating brain tissue, studies show: ‘There’s nowhere left untouched’ (www.theguardian.com)

submitted 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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Twenty-four brain samples collected in early 2024 measured on average about 0.5% plastic by weight

A growing body of scientific evidence shows that microplastics are accumulating in critical human organs, including the brain, leading researchers to call for more urgent actions to rein in plastic pollution.

Studies have detected tiny shards and specks of plastics in human lungs, placentas, reproductive organs, livers, kidneys, knee and elbow joints, blood vessels and bone marrow.

Given the research findings, “it is now imperative to declare a global emergency” to deal with plastic pollution, said Sedat Gündoğdu, who studies microplastics at Cukurova University in Turkey.

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[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

Interesting (and terrifying) that microplastics could get past the blood-brain barrier. I'm wondering if it's because newly developed tissue incorporates contaminants and so the plastic was there since the brain developed, rather than it infiltrating the brain over time. Then we could at least say that the contamination won't get worse once you're an adult. But the tissue samples being 1/200th plastic - which is insane - doesn't inspire much hope.

Has there been a single place where microplastic contamination hasn't been found yet? I'm hoping the best possible timeline occurs and all these studies end up retracted due to the plastic contamination happening during the sample preparation/testing process or something, rather than us actually being that screwed.