Do you possess this contemporary contaminant in your system?
Written by Susan Parker | Updated on May 28, 2025
Reviewed by Susan Parker
11 sources cited
Overview
From the most distant mountains to the deepest seas. Whether it's tap water or bottled, sardines or scallops, apples or carrots, table salt or tea bags, microplastics have become a pervasive pollutant in today's world.
Ranging from tiny nanoparticles to up to half a centimeter in size, microplastics have infiltrated every aspect of our lives, including our own bodies.
Recently, they have been found in human blood for the first time. Have you been affected?
"I've been researching this for two decades, and we have confirmed that microplastics are present wherever we have examined," stated esteemed marine scientist Professor Richard Thompson from Plymouth University, England.
Food and water are not the only sources. Microplastics also enter the air we breathe from various sources like clothing, carpets, bedding, personal care items, cosmetics, and cleaning supplies. Surprisingly, our homes may be the most hazardous place for plastic ingestion.
Studies have shown that we inhale up to 7,000 microplastic particles daily. Furthermore, living rooms alone may expose us to over 24,000 microplastic particles each day.
Professor Jeanette Rotchell from the University of Hull, England, the lead author of one study, expressed concern, stating, "Given the current trend of more people working from home, the levels of microplastics in our living environments could be even more alarming."
While microplastics have been discovered in human livers, kidneys, and spleens, a recent study revealed an unexpected finding.
Embedded Deep in the Lungs
Researchers at the University of Hull conducted a study where they obtained healthy tissue samples from patients undergoing lung cancer surgery.
Upon examining the lung tissue, they identified 39 different types of microplastics in eleven out of thirteen samples. Of these, eleven were located in the upper lungs, seven in the middle, and 21 in the lower lungs.
Lead author Laura Sadofsky noted, "This study is the first solid evidence of microplastics in the lungs of living individuals."
While the discovery was not unexpected, Sadofsky was surprised by the high number of particles found in the lower lung regions and their sizes. She explained, "It's astonishing because the airways are narrower in the lower lungs, and we would expect particles of this size to be filtered or trapped before reaching such depths... nobody anticipated they could reach there, but they did."
In a recent study published in the May issue of the journal Environment International, microplastics were detected in human blood for the first time.
A Groundbreaking Discovery
Researchers from Vrije University in Amsterdam collected blood samples from 22 healthy adults and found microplastics in 17 of them.
Considering that the measuring method used was just sensitive enough to detect any plastic presence, it is possible that all participants carried microplastic particles in their blood, but five samples had particles too small to measure. Lead author Marja Lamoree suggested, "The likelihood of that scenario seems quite high to me."
Another team member, Professor Dick Vethaak, told The Guardian newspaper that "this study marks a significant breakthrough. It is the first evidence we have of polymer particles in our blood – a groundbreaking outcome."
Emeritus professor Martin van den Berg from Utrecht University concurred, referring to the study as "a breakthrough."
Professor Bart Koelmans, an expert in microplastics at Wageningen University involved in risk assessment for the World Health Organization, emphasized the complexity of measuring microplastics in blood. He stated, "They have thoroughly verified everything; this provides concrete evidence of plastic presence in our blood."
Implications for Human Health
Research on microplastics is still in its early stages, and the health implications of these particles accumulating in our organs and circulating in our bloodstreams remain unknown.
Prof. Vethaak raised questions, "Do these particles remain in the body? Are they transported to specific organs, such as crossing the blood-brain barrier? Are the levels high enough to trigger diseases? It is certainly a cause for concern."
He also highlighted the increased vulnerability of babies and young children to chemical and particle exposure, expressing his deep concerns on this matter.
