Microplastics also accumulate in the lungs, where they arrive by inhalation. The discovery is described in the study just published in the scientific journal Science of The Total Environment. (1)
The work opens up a new area of research, but revives concern about the overuse of plastics, which is still growing despite warnings about environmental damage and human health concerns.
Microplastics in the lungs, the study
British researchers analyzed samples of lung tissue taken from 13 people during surgery.
Microplastics were found in 11 cases, trapped in the deepest part of the lungs. A result that demonstrates the organ’s inability to filter these types of particles, permeable down to the thinnest network of the respiratory system.
Two types of plastic
The microplastics found are as small as 0.003 mm in size and are almost always of two materials ubiquitous in everyday consumption:
– PP (polypropylene), a thermoplastic polymer widely used in the production of food containers and pipes,
– PET (polyethylene terephthalate), known to be used in the production of bottles for water and other beverages. It is also present in many everyday products such as textiles, cosmetics, medicines etc.
Also exposed by inhalation
The presence of microplastics in the lungs was already established in 2021 on autopsy samples. A Brazilian study had detected them in 13 of 20 deceased elderly individuals. In that case, the most frequent particle was polyethylene (PE), a polymer used for food bags and containers. (2)
Already 24 years ago, moreover, a U.S. study of lung cancer patients had detected plastic and plant fibers (such as cotton) in more than 100 samples. In the cancerous tissue, 97% of the samples contained the fibers, and in the noncancerous samples, 83% were contaminated. (3)
Accumulations in the body, from the blood to the lungs
Microplastics, of polypropylene and PET primarily, have already been found inside the human body. Just a month ago research detected some in the blood, and previously they had been found in the placenta.
In contrast, animal studies (pregnant rats) have shown that these particles pass rapidly through the lungs to reach the heart, brain, and other organs of the fetus. (4)
What health risks?
The accumulation of microplastics in the human body is now well established. Evidence of a definite correlation between this phenomenon and the occurrence of disease is still lacking.
The conclusions reached so far are troubling. Laboratory experiments show that microplastics damage human cells. (5) And similar air pollution particles already cause millions of deaths each year. A harmful contribution is attributed to microplastics related to atmospheric particulate matter, as indicated by a study conducted in the Paris metropolitan area. (6)
Marta Strinati and Dario Dongo
Cover image inspired by Pledge Times
Notes
(1) Lauren C. Jenner, Jeanette M. Rotchell, Robert T. Bennett, Michael Cowen, Vasileios Tentzeris, Laura R. Sadofsky,
Detection of microplastics in human lung tissue using μFTIR spectroscopy, Science of The Total Environment, Volume 831,
2022, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.154907
(2) Luís Fernando Amato-Lourenço, Regiani Carvalho-Oliveira, Gabriel Ribeiro Júnior, Luciana dos Santos Galvão, Rômulo Augusto Ando, Thais Mauad. Presence of airborne microplastics in human lung tissue. Journal of Hazardous Materials,
Volume 416, 2021, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.126124.
(3) Pauly JL, Stegmeier SJ, Allaart HA, Cheney RT, Zhang PJ, Mayer AG, Streck RJ. Inhaled cellulosic and plastic fibers found in human lung tissue. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 1998 May;7(5):419-28. PMID: 9610792. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9610792/
(4) See previous article https://www.greatitalianfoodtrade.it/sicurezza/microplastiche-nel-sangue-prima-evidenza-nell-uomo
(5) Domenech J, de Britto M, Velázquez A, Pastor S, Hernández A, Marcos R, Cortés C. Long-Term Effects of Polystyrene Nanoplastics in Human Intestinal Caco-2 Cells. Biomolecules. 2021 Oct 1;11(10):1442. doi: 10.3390/biom11101442. PMID: 34680075; PMCID: PMC8533059. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34680075/
(6) Joana Correia Prata (2018). Airborne microplastics: Consequences to human health? Environmental Pollution, Volume 234, 2018, Pages 115-126. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2017.11.043
Professional journalist since January 1995, he has worked for newspapers (Il Messaggero, Paese Sera, La Stampa) and periodicals (NumeroUno, Il Salvagente). She is the author of journalistic surveys on food, she has published the book "Reading labels to know what we eat".
Dario Dongo, lawyer and journalist, PhD in international food law, founder of WIISE (FARE - GIFT - Food Times) and Égalité.
