Tiny plastic fragments and fibers have been found in the nasal tissue of human cadavers, according to a new small Brazilian study published in JAMA Network Open on Monday (16). The strands and pieces of microplastic were discovered in the olfactory bulb, the part of the nose responsible for detecting odors, located at the base of the brain.
“Once present in this structure, there may be translocation to other regions of the brain,” says the lead author of study Luís Fernando Amato-Lourenço, a microplastics researcher at the Free University of Berlin, said in an email. “Translocation depends on several factors, including the shape of the particle, whether it is a fiber or a fragment, its size, and the body's defense mechanisms.”
Because of their smaller size and shape, Amato-Lourenço says, particles are more likely than fibers to pass through microglial cells in the blood-brain barrier, a membrane that protects the brain and spinal cord from many harmful substances.
“This is a really interesting study,” says Phoebe Stapleton, an associate professor of pharmacology and toxicology at Rutgers University in Piscataway, New Jersey, who was not involved in the study. “I'm not really surprised,” she adds. “I really believe that plastics are going to be in every part of the body that we look at. This is just more evidence.”
When it comes to studies on plastics and human health, “there is a debate in the scientific community about whether the current body of evidence sufficiently reflects real-world implications,” according to Betsy Bowers, executive director of the EPS Industry Alliance, a trade association for the expanded polystyrene industry.
“The lack of consensus stems from sufficient quality assurance, involving issues such as definitions of nanoplastics, accuracy and bias of testing methodologies, dose-response relationships, and risk versus exposure assessments,” Bowers says in an email.
The growing accumulation of plastic in the body
A number of recent studies have found microplastics and nanoplastics in human brain tissue, testes and penis, human blood, lung and liver tissue, urine and feces, breast milk and the placenta.
In the first analysis to illustrate the harm to human health, a March study found that people with microplastics or nanoplastics in their carotid artery tissue were twice as likely to have a heart attack, stroke or die from any cause in the next three years, compared with people who did not.
Such tiny particles can invade cells and tissues in important organs, experts say, potentially disrupting cellular processes and depositing endocrine-disrupting chemicals such as bisphenols, phthalates, flame retardants, perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and heavy metals.
“The chemicals can be transported to the liver, kidneys and brain and even cross the placenta into a developing fetus,” says Sherri “Sam” Mason, chief sustainability officer at Penn State Behrend in Erie, Pennsylvania, in a statement. interview prior to CNN International . She was not involved in the new study.
Unable to see the smallest particles
The new study found microplastics in the olfactory bulbs of eight of 15 cadavers, ranging in size from 5.5 micrometers (0.000217 inches) to 26.4 micrometers (0.001039 inches). For comparison, a human hair is about 80,000 nanometers wide, or 0.00315 inches, according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency
Due to the type of analysis used, the study was unable to detect nanoparticles, which are a thousand times smaller than the average width of a human hair. Even so, the dimensions of the plastics found in the cadavers' olfactory bulbs were “much smaller than those of several other studies that determined the presence of microplastics in human organs, such as the placenta, kidneys, liver, etc.”, says Amato-Lourenço.
The study could not determine the source of exposure or why some of the deceased had evidence of plastic in their noses while others did not, he said.
“What we know from studies published in the literature is that when there is local inflammation of the mucosa (the lining of the nasal cavity), it may be easier for microplastics to penetrate,” says Amato-Lourenço. “A large proportion of the microplastics present in the air are fibers that come from clothing made of synthetic fabrics and from everyday objects, such as carpets, curtains, etc.”
Polypropylene was the predominant plastic found in the cadaver olfactory bulbs. One of the most widely used plastics, polypropylene, is generally considered safe for human use. However, a study of April 2023 discovered that polypropylene microplastics can worsen the progression of breast cancer.
Reducing exposure to plastic
There are steps you can take to reduce exposure to phthalates and other chemicals in foods and food packaging, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics' position statement on food additives and children's health.
“One of them is to reduce our plastic footprint by using stainless steel and glass containers whenever possible,” says Leonardo Trasande, director of environmental pediatrics at NYU Langone Health, in a interview prior to CNN International
“Avoid heating food or drinks in plastic, including infant formula and pumped breast milk, and do not put plastics in the dishwasher, as the heat can cause chemicals to be released,” says Trasande, who is also the lead author of the AAP statement.
“Check the recycling code on the bottom of products to identify the type of plastic and avoid plastics with recycling codes of 3, which often contain phthalates,” he adds.
Phthalates, known as “ubiquitous chemicals” due to their abundance, are chemicals used in manufacturing that are known to be hormone disruptors.
Reduce your use of single-use plastics, suggests the Natural Resources Defense Council an environmental advocacy group. Other suggestions include bringing reusable bags to the grocery store. Invest in a zippered cloth bag and ask the dry cleaner to return your clothes in it instead of those thin plastic sheets. Bring a travel mug to the coffee shop and silverware to work to reduce your use of plastic cups and utensils.
This content was originally published in Microplastics are found in tissue from the nose at the base of the brain, says study on the CNN Brasil website.
Source: CNN Brasil
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