Our minds are cluttered with plastics - literally - and the amount found in each person is growing Prior studies have found microplastics in lungs, placentas and testes — but the most common spot for them may be even more worrying, finds a new report.
The average amount, 4,800 micrograms per gram of microplastics in brain tissue, was found to be the same as the amount found in a standard plastic spoon, according to the study.
The team analyzed the brains of 52 decedents and found the individuals had higher concentrations of microplastics in the brain compared to the liver and kidneys.
“These results highlight a critical need to better understand the routes of exposure, uptake and clearance pathways and potential health consequences of plastics in human tissues, particularly in the brain,” the researchers wrote.
Matthew Campen, PhD, at the University of New Mexico College of Pharmacy, said the trend was reflective of increased environmental exposure to microplastics during a virtual news conference this week.
