Preliminary studies into the presence of microplastics in the human brain have shocked researchers after samples tested in a US study revealed that 0.5 per cent of the average weight of the sample was made up of microplastics.
The study — which is yet to be peer-reviewed — was undertaken by toxicologist Dr Matthew Campen from the University of New Mexico. While it is yet to be scrutinised by other experts, Campen’s results from his latest study come following two peer-reviewed studies he participated in which revealed that microplastics had permeated their way into placentas and testicles.
His latest study investigated 24 human brain samples which contained micro and nano-plastics levels much higher than other areas in the body. Campen said he was so shocked by the results, he had them checked by a colleague in a different lab but they had similar results.
“We anticipated the brain would be protected from the plastics and were completely wrong,” Campen told The Sydney Morning Herald.
“Our initial thoughts were that the liver would bear the brunt of the absorption from all the food we eat and then clear the plastics.”
Campen is clear that this research is still in its early stages, and many scientists are vocal about how the tests we use to determine the micro and nano-plastics in the body aren’t good enough to know for sure. However, he theorises that plastics may have been present in the human body for decades, masquerading as “dark matter”.
“At this point, there is nothing known, but the plastics may be a ‘dark matter’ that have actually been driving health issues for decades, completely unrecognised,” Campen said, per the Sydney Morning Herald.
While there is no locked-in evidence to support that microplastics in the body directly correlate with various health problems, Campen believes that urgent investigations need to be done into whether microplastics can affect male fertility, dementia, autism, ALS and Parkinson’s.
Despite the lack of evidence on the effects of microplastic on the body, there has been more concrete evidence to support the health risks associated with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) — a type of chemicals used in non-stick pans, cosmetics and flame-resistant foam. These chemicals are also known as “forever chemicals” and are associated with plastic for their hardy, almost impossible-to-destroy nature.
What are microplastics and why are they bad?
Microplastics are teeny-tiny bits of plastic debris within our environment. They are classified as particles smaller than 5mm in size and occur from the disposal and breakdown of consumer products like plastic drink bottles, food packaging and clothing fibres.
Microplastics are categorised into primary and secondary categories. Primary microplastics are intentionally created things like the microbeads we used to see in cleansers or cleaning products. (Does anyone remember that woman who claimed the beads from a Neutrogena cleanser got stuck in her pores?) Secondary microplastics are lil’ particles that are from the breakdown of bigger plastic items.
Due to their low biodegradation rate and tiny size, microplastics stick around in the environment rather than breaking down completely or being filtered out through sewage treatments.
While many governments are now implementing legislation to limit the use and creation of microplastics due to their negative impact on our environment, more research clearly needs to be done to assess the long-term health effects microplastics have on humans.
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