”First robust study to show microplastics in lungs of living people”: Scientists analyze impacts of these particles on human health
A study by the Hull York School of Medicine in the United Kingdom showed a worrying result: the presence of microplastics in the lungs of patients. Scientists have identified 12 types of microplastics, in which the most frequent was polypropylene. This was the first time a study had identified these particles in living people. “Microplastics have already been found in autopsy samples from human cadavers — this is the first robust study to show microplastics in the lungs of living people“said the article’s lead author in a statement, Laura Sadofsky.
MICROPLASTICS IN THE HUMAN ORGANISM: WHAT ARE THE DAMAGES TO HEALTH?
The scientific community is concerned about the presence of these particles in the human body, as they can pose a risk to health. In human cells in laboratories, microplastics were able to cause damage. Nonetheless, It is still unclear how this affects human health.. “The characterization of types and levels of microplastics we’ve found can now inform realistic conditions for laboratory exposure experiments aimed at determining health impacts”said Sadofsky.
Published in scientific journal Science of The Total Environmentthe study was performed with lung tissue samples collected during surgery. Of 13 patients analyzed, microplastics were found in 11. Polypropylene, for example, is used in PET bottles.
“We didn’t expect to find the greatest number of particles in the lower regions of the lungs, or particles of the sizes we found.. This is surprising, as the airways are smaller in the lower parts of the lungs, and we expected particles of these sizes to be filtered out or trapped before reaching this deep into the lungs“explained Sadofsky.
Source: Recreio
