We know our obsession with using plastic is bad news for the planet, but there is increasing evidence of its adverse effects on our own health.

It was well known that we ingest tiny plastic particles in food and water, and inhale them, but researchers have for the first time detected microplastic in human blood.

The study conducted in Amsterdam study looked for just four “high production volume” polymers and found that blood samples from 17 out of 22 healthy adults contained microplastics such as polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polymers of styrene (such as polystyrene).

The scientists admit larger studies are needed both in the breadth of plastics investigated and the sample size. We also need to know what happens to the plastic once it enters the blood. They might enter and disrupt organs or trigger diseases.

The paper (“Discovery and quantification of plastic particle pollution in human blood”, March 24, 2022) was published in Environment International.

[Image Credit: © Environment International]