Pollution In Our Blood

Microplastics found in human blood

We have often seen the distressing images of turtles, dolphins, or other aquatic lives trapped in fishing nets or plastic bags. However, some of the menaces of plastic use are invisible and are much closer to home, i.e. in our own bloodstream. Microplastic and plastic additives had been detected in human feces and urines before, but only recently they have been detected in our bloodstream as well.

Microplastics are tiny fragments of plastics that have contaminated every sphere of the Earth, from the peak of Mount Everest to the Mariana Trench. They are less than 5 mm in diameter and sometimes are invisible to the naked eye. These tiny particles are consumed by us during food/water intake or when we breathe in.

Microplastics were 10 times higher in the feces of babies compared to adults and babies fed with plastic bottles are swallowing millions of microplastic particles a day.

------ A. Dick Vethaak,

Ecotoxicologist, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

Breakthrough research that was conducted by Heather A.Leslie et al. of Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and published in Environment International revealed that 50% of human blood samples contained PET plastic, which is commonly used in drink bottles, while 33% contained polystyrene, used for packaging food and other products. The blood samples were taken from 22 participants.

Concentrations of plastic particles by polymer type in whole blood samples of 22 donors

Five common plastics were looked for by the researchers:

• poly(methyl methylacrylate) (PMMA), used in dentistry and other medical applications

• polypropylene (PP), commonly used for packaging and textiles

• polymerized styrene (PS), used for lightweight packaging

• polyethylene (PE), the most widely used plastic, used for carrier bags, among many other things

• polyethylene terephthalate (PET), widely used in textiles and food and drink containers

Health Effects of Microplastic

• Microplastic particles can destabilize lipid membranes — the barriers that surround all cells and may affect their functioning.

• They might transform cells and induce carcinogenesis.

• If plastic particles present in the bloodstream are carried by immune cells, then such exposures might affect immune regulation.

• Tinniest microplastic particles are capable of entering the bloodstream, and lymphatic system, and may even reach the liver.

• Some of the chemicals used in the manufacturing of plastics are endocrine inhibitors. Long-term exposure to endocrine-inhibiting microplastics increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetesTrusted Source and heart disease.

• Persistent exposure to microplastics in the gut is toxic to immune cells and causes dysbiosis — a disruption to the gut microbiota — and leading to an overgrowth of “bad” bacteria.

The Wake-Up Call

It is difficult, almost impossible for the problem to go away. Plastic production and consumption have increased from the mid 20th century. In 1950, around 350,000 metric tons of plastics were produced. By 2016, that figure had skyrocketed to 335 million metric tons. By some estimates, 4.8–12.7 million metric tons of plastic entered the ocean in 2010.

The only we can minimize the exposure are:

• Limit the consumption of highly processed foods because they contain high levels of phthalate microplastics.

• Choose eco-friendly packaging made from materials such as bamboo, rice-husk, glass etc.

• Replacing plastic water bottles with glass or stainless steel ones.

References

1. Heather A. Leslie, Martin J.M. van Velzen, Sicco H. Brandsma, A. Dick Vethaak, Juan J. Garcia-Vallejo, Marja H. Lamoree,Discovery and quantification of plastic particle pollution in human blood,Environment International,Volume 163,2022,107199, ISSN 0160-4120, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2022.107199.

2. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/microplastics-detected-in-human-blood-180979826/

3. https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/news/20220324/microplastics-found-in-human-blood

4. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/mar/24/microplastics-found-in-human-blood-for-first-time