Simple technique could help find microplastics inside the human body
Source: NewScientist
Simple technique could help find microplastics inside the human body
HEALTH August 17, 2020
A new method could help detect microplastics in human tissues and organs, allowing researchers to investigate the impact that environmental plastic pollution has on our health.
Last year, Rolf Halden at Arizona State University and his colleagues discovered molecules from commonly used plastics, such as bisphenol A, in human liver and fat tissue samples. They have now investigated whether larger, microplastic particles might be detectable if they made their way into human tissues.
The researchers took 47 human tissue samples from lungs, liver, spleen and kidneys, spiked them with various different microplastics and digested the mix with chemicals. They then tested whether they could detect and quantify microplastic fragments in the samples using established spectroscopic methods.
They found that it was possible to identify dozens of types of plastic components, including polycarbonate, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polyethylene – in addition to bisphenol A.
“We are literally surrounded by plastic throughout our daily lives. We are now positioned to better define plastic pollution in the human body,” says Halden. “Whether, where and to what extent plastic fragments accumulate in different human tissues and organs is the focus of still ongoing research.”
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Read more: https://www.newscientist.com/article/2251975-simple-technique-could-help-find-microplastics-inside-the-human-body/
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