Those tiny fragments of plastic that we’ve all been scared of recently even though we’re still not entirely sure what they’re doing to our health? Yeah, well, they’re probably in your brain now.
Microplastics are any plastic particles that are smaller than 5 millimeters. The stuff is everywhere because plastic pollution is everywhere—and as science has recently been discovering more and more, it can infiltrate any form of human tissue.
Most recently, research led by Matthew Campen from the University of New Mexico detected microplastic particles in brain samples at levels significantly higher than in other organs. Brains with dementia and Alzheimer’s had microplastic levels up to 10 times higher than in healthy brains.
And yes, previous research has found microplastics in several other organs, too.
The quality of a man’s sperm can be impacted by the presence of microplastics in the testicles, which is common. And it’s not just men, but man’s best friend, too. Similar findings were discovered in dogs.
Microplastics were recently found within the lungs of cadavers. The particles were so small that even the lungs’ various filters could not filter it all out.
When a team of researchers from the University of New Mexico tested 62 placenta samples for microplastics, they found a shit ton of the stuff in all 62 samples. The most common polymer they found was polyethylene, which is commonly used to make plastic grocery bags and water bottles.
This stuff is so prevalent that scientists even found microplastics inside a cave that humans hadn’t stepped foot in decades.
So where are all these microplastics coming from? That soda bottle you threw out. That plastic packaging you got with your Amazon order. The cheap fast-fashion clothing you buy. The twine you use for making the decorative topiaries you sell on Etsy. The burger you ate for lunch. Everything. They’re in pretty much everything. Again, we’re still not sure what harm microplastics pose to our health. We do know they can damage our cells but to what extent we’re not sure.
We’ve only recently started noticing that we’ve got plastics all up in us, in every organ, in all our tissues, and we’re constantly putting more of it into ourselves every day. If scientists start to make more solid connections between microplastics and negative health effects, then we can really start to panic and, one hopes, take immediate action on a global scale. But until then, we’re just going to keep on living with bits of plastic clanking around inside of us. Maybe even in our souls, too, at this rate.
The post Microplastics Are In Your Brain, Testicles, Placenta, Lungs, Soul appeared first on VICE.
The post Microplastics Are In Your Brain, Testicles, Placenta, Lungs, Soul appeared first on VICE.