A recent study has revealed an alarming situation, showing that microplastics are present in brain tissue near the nose.
The study, published in JAMA Network Open, suggests a possible route for these tiny particles to enter the brain.
Researchers examined the brains of 15 deceased individuals—12 men and 3 women, aged between 33 and 100—and found that eight of them had microplastics in the olfactory bulb, which is the brain area responsible for processing smells.
The study identified polypropylene as the most common type of microplastic, followed by polyamide, nylon, and polyethylene vinyl acetate.
Microplastics, which are tiny plastic fragments and can enter the human body through contaminated food, crops, and fish.
Moreover, microplastics have been detected in various parts of the human body, including blood, hearts, reproductive organs, lungs, liver, mother’s milk, and placenta.
They are linked to health issues like lung inflammation, increased cancer risk, metabolic disorders, neurotoxicity, hormone disruption, weight gain, insulin resistance, and reduced reproductive health.
High levels of microplastics in arteries have also been associated with higher mortality rates.
On average, people are estimated to ingest around 50,000 microplastic particles each year, with some studies suggesting that approximately 5 grams of plastic are consumed weekly.
The European Union has recently announced a ban on microplastics in new products to tackle pollution, and a similar US proposal from 2020 has yet to advance.
