From sperm and breast milk to the heart and brain, scientists have found hormone-disrupting, cancer-causing microplastics in virtually EVERY part of our bodies

Microplastics enter almost every cavity in the human body, as scientists have detected the tiny particles in semen, breast milk and even brain tissue.

Researchers have long known about the bits of plastic in the environment, but only recently have they developed a technique to see them in our organs, tissues and blood.

Microplastics, which are smaller than five millimeters, enter our bodies through plastic packaging, certain foods, tap water and even the air we breathe.

From there they enter our bloodstream and cause untold damage. They have been linked to the development of cancer, heart disease and dementia, as well as fertility problems.

Microplastics have received a lot of attention due to their prevalence and abundance in our daily lives.

They have also been found in almost every part of the world: from the deepest place on Earth, from the Mariana Trench to the top of Mount Everest.

Numerous studies have also detected the small particles in household items such as sugar, salt, honey, seafood, tap water, water bottles and plastic-wrapped food products.

Previous research has shown that on average, people ingest about five grams of plastic per week, the equivalent of a credit card, said Dianna Cohen, CEO of the nonprofit Plastic Pollution Coalition.

Once ingested, these small particles can travel to internal organs such as the kidneys and liver and cause adverse effects at the cellular level.

Numerous studies have also discovered the tiny particles in household items such as sugar, salt (pictured), honey, seafood, tap water, water bottles and food products packaged in plastic

Brain

Researchers from Vassar College in Upstate New York joined an Austrian team to investigate whether the toxins – found in everything from food packaging to plastic water bottles – can cross the blood-brain barrier of mice.

Once the plastics reach the brain, they can cause inflammation and disrupt the processes of neurons, according to the 2023 study.

Lukas Kenner from MedUni Vienna said: ‘In the brain, plastic particles can increase the risk of inflammation, neurological disorders or even neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s.’

The team found that polystyrene particles, which are used in foam food packaging, showed up in the brain just two hours after ingestion.

Another study conducted the same year analyzed 15 brain tissue samples, uncovering six plastic pieces from two patients with tumors.

Sperm

The majority of particles in the testis were polystyrene (PS, 68%), while polyethylene (PE) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) were the main types in semen.

Scientists at Beijing University Third Hospital in Beijing discovered microplastics in human semen last year.

The team collected 30 sperm and six testis samples from patients and found that 11 sperm and four testis samples contained small particles.

A majority of the particles in the testis were polystyrene (PS, 68 percent), while polyethylene (PE) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) were the main species in semen.

Polyethylene is used in packaging, and polyvinyl chloride can be found in everything from plumbing pipes to window frames and car seat covers.

Researchers involved in the study suggested that the drop in sperm count could be due to exposure to microplastics.

Heart

Microplastics, which are smaller than five millimeters, enter our bodies through plastic packaging, tap water and even the air we breathe

The tiny particles were first found in the heart in 2023 by a team from Beijing Anzhen Hospital in China, which collected heart tissue and blood samples from 15 patients undergoing heart surgery.

Microplastics were found in all blood samples and heart tissue.

In the blood, the plastics can attach to the outer membrane of red blood cells and affect their ability to transport oxygen.

Nine different types of plastic were found in five types of heart tissue.

Microscopic particles of poly(methyl methacrylate) – a plastic often used as a shatter-resistant alternative to glass – were found in three different areas of the heart, which the researchers said “cannot be attributed to accidental exposure during surgery.”

Other plastics found included polyethylene terephthalate, used in clothing and food containers, and PVC

Dozens to thousands of individual pieces of microplastic were discovered, but the amounts varied between patients.

Breast milk

In 2022, scientists made a surprising discovery when they found microplastics in human breast milk for the first time.

A team from Italy’s Polytechnic University Marche analyzed milk samples from 34 healthy mothers and found that microscopic plastic particles were found in three-quarters of them.

The milk samples containing plastic each contained between one and five microparticles.

The particles came from PVC, polyethylene and polypropylene, all common plastics in materials ranging from plastic bottles and packaging to synthetic leather, floor tiles and furniture upholstery.

Kidney, spleen and liver

In 2020, researchers set out to see if microplastics could be found in the human body after the particles were found around the world.

A team from Arizona State University found the first evidence when they analyzed 47 tissue samples, revealing many of the particles that had accumulated in the liver, spleen and kidneys.

Senior researcher Rolf Halden said: ‘We detected these chemicals from plastics in every single organ we examined.’

Placenta

These light microscope images show microplastics in human placenta samples. The bottom row is illuminated with UV light to show how much plastic is still in the sample even after the tissue has been processed

Microplastics were found in human placentas last month after a team from the University of New Mexico tested 62 women’s placentas and found that all contained tiny plastic pieces less than five millimeters long.

The particles ranged in size from 6.5 to 790 micrograms, with an average concentration of 128.6 micrograms for each gram of donated placenta.

The most common plastics found in the samples were those from plastic bags and bottles, accounting for 54 percent, while building materials and nylon accounted for 10 percent – with the remainder made up of nine other plastics.

Lungs

Researchers from the University of Hull and Hull York Medical School discovered microplastics in living human lungs for the first time in 2022.

The findings were the first to prove that we inhale the particles from the air.

The study found 39 microplastics in 11 of 13 lung tissue samples tested – significantly higher than previous laboratory tests.