We've all been hearing about how bad microplastics are.
We've heard that microplastics are everywhere. Since scientists have been investigating just how much there is in our world, there has been a lot of talk about microplastics.
One thing to remember is that plastic is everywhere, but microplastics can get into places that we never would've imagined since they are so minuscule. Because of the increase in microplastics worldwide, studies have also been done to see where they go and how they affect our bodies.
These studies have already produced alarming results showing that microplastics are often found inside our bodies and in our food. This is incredibly alarming, and it can get even more scary if you consider what it could mean to have these plastics floating around in our bodies, but now there is a new concern.
New studies have shown that microplastics are ending up in our brain tissue, which is as alarming as it sounds. Although many of us might already have microplastics, and not all of them will cause problems, there's still a huge chance that this could lead to other issues in the body.
So, if you're interested in hearing more about how they got into the brain tissue and what exactly this could mean for you, stay tuned as we examine the study that provided this information.
Microplastics are honestly everywhere because of the way that humans live now and all of the different plastic products we use.
A scientist in Brazil found that microplastics were in the brain tissue of cadavers in a published study in the JAMA Network Open journal. Research has shown that microplastics are in nearly every single organ in the body, which now officially includes the brain.
This research looked at the olfactory bulb in the brain, which is the part of the brain that is responsible for processing smells. Humans have two olfactory bulbs which are above each nasal cavity and this is where the plastics were found.
Researchers worry that this could invite microplastics into other areas of the brain by going through the olfactory bulb, which could be an issue.
iStock
We definitely understand the concern behind these microplastics being in our brain and bodies.
“Previous studies in humans and animals have shown that air pollution reaches the brain and that particles have been found in the olfactory bulb, which is why we think the olfactory bulb is probably one of the first points for microplastics to reach the brain,” said lead study author Dr. Thais Mauad said.
They looked at samples from fifteen cadavers and found that eight out of the fifteen had microplastics in their olfactory bulb tissue. The most common type of plastic they found was polypropylene, with the smallest plastic being smaller than a human red blood cell.
“Propylene is everywhere, in furniture, rugs, clothes,” Mauad said. “We know the place we are most exposed to particles is indoors because all of our homes are full of plastic.”
“The nose is a major point of defense to keep particles and dust out of the lungs,” Matthew Campen, a toxicologist, wrote in an email. “So seeing some plastics in the olfactory system, especially given how they are being found everywhere else in the body, is completely expected.”
Pexels
There is a lot of concern here about what exactly this means for humans and where these microplastics could be going in the body if they're being pulled in throughout the nose. Although it might be expected, it's still quite concerning to see how much plastic is inside of our bodies and researchers will continue to look into the details of this.