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  • 2 weeks later...
Posted

More good news. 

 

https://hsc.unm.edu/news/2024/04/microplastics-in-organs.html

Microplastics Make Their Way from the Gut to Other Organs, UNM Researchers Find

In a recent paper published in the journal  Environmental Health Perspectives, University of New Mexico researchers found that those tiny particles – microplastics – are having a significant impact on our digestive pathways, making their way from the gut and into the tissues of the kidney, liver and brain.

“Over the past few decades, microplastics have been found in the ocean, in animals and plants, in tap water and bottled water,” Castillo, says. “They appear to be everywhere.”

Scientists estimate that people ingest 5 grams of microplastic particles each week on average – equivalent to the weight of a credit card.

 

Over a four-week period, Castillo, postdoctoral fellow Marcus Garcia, PharmD, and other UNM researchers exposed mice to microplastics in their drinking water. The amount was equivalent to the quantity of microplastics humans are believed to ingest each week.

Microplastics had migrated out of the gut into the tissues of the liver, kidney and even the brain, the team found. The study also showed the microplastics changed metabolic pathways in the affected tissues.

“We could detect microplastics in certain tissues after the exposure,” Castillo says. “That tells us it can cross the intestinal barrier and infiltrate into other tissues.”

Castillo says he’s also concerned about the accumulation of the plastic particles in the human body. “These mice were exposed for four weeks,” he says. “Now, think about how that equates to humans, if we're exposed from birth to old age.”

 

He has previously found that microplastics are also impacting macrophages – the immune cells that work to protect the body from foreign particles.

In a paper published in the journal Cell Biology & Toxicology in 2021, Castillo and other UNM researchers found that when macrophages encountered and ingested microplastics, their function was altered and they released inflammatory molecules.

“It is changing the metabolism of the cells, which can alter inflammatory responses,” Castillo says. “During intestinal inflammation – states of chronic illness such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease, which are both forms of inflammatory bowel disease – these macrophages become more inflammatory and they’re more abundant in the gut.”

  • Rage+1 1
  • 1 month later...
Posted

Well, okay ... microplastics are responsible for decreasing sperm counts, migrating out of the gut into the tissues of the liver, kidney and even the brain, gunking up the oceans, killing mass quantities of fish etc ... but they are just so damn convenient.

  • Hook 'Em 1
  • Rage+1 2
Posted
1 hour ago, Hornius Emeritus said:

Well, okay ... microplastics are responsible for decreasing sperm counts, migrating out of the gut into the tissues of the liver, kidney and even the brain, gunking up the oceans, killing mass quantities of fish etc ... but they are just so damn convenient.

so hear me out, we get off oil-based plastic testicles and use solar.  Like Tucker said, we can tan our testicles using the sun instead of polypropylene.  It's a win-win.  

Posted
2 hours ago, Hornius Emeritus said:

Well, okay ... microplastics are responsible for decreasing sperm counts, migrating out of the gut into the tissues of the liver, kidney and even the brain, gunking up the oceans, killing mass quantities of fish etc ... but they are just so damn convenient.

[Laughs in Point Comfort Formosa plant nodules in Matagorda Bay]

  • Hook 'Em 2
Posted

Could we please redirect the 45% of corn production we waste on ethanol toward making bioplastics instead? Or perhaps ban wasteful plastic bags used at grocery stores/Walmart? Maybe fucking charge for them? Do something.

Holy shit.

  • Hook 'Em 2
Posted
14 hours ago, bolverk said:

Could we please redirect the 45% of corn production we waste on ethanol toward making bioplastics instead? Or perhaps ban wasteful plastic bags used at grocery stores/Walmart? Maybe fucking charge for them? Do something.

Holy shit.

It’s annoying as anything can be we have the technology to eliminate most petroleum plastics with little inconvenience, but nah. Won’t do it, can’t do it, wouldn’t be prudent.

Posted
15 minutes ago, troph said:

It’s annoying as anything can be we have the technology to eliminate most petroleum plastics with little inconvenience, but nah. Won’t do it, can’t do it, wouldn’t be prudent.

We won't do it because it's cheaper to use petroleum plastics. It's purely driven by need for shareholder value and cost savings. 

  • Rage+1 1
Posted
2 hours ago, Captainant said:

We won't do it because it's cheaper to use petroleum plastics. It's purely driven by need for shareholder value and cost savings. 

Plastics are a huge source of revenue for fossil fuel producers. They're never giving that up willingly.

  • 2 months later...
Posted

I guess this shouldn't surprise anyone. Yay, our brains may be one of the most polluted of the organs.

 

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/article/2024/aug/21/microplastics-brain-pollution-health

In one of the latest studies to emerge – a pre-print paper still undergoing peer review that is posted online by the National Institutes of Health – researchers found a particularly concerning accumulation of microplastics in brain samples.

An examination of the livers, kidneys and brains of autopsied bodies found that all contained microplastics, but the 91 brain samples contained on average about 10 to 20 times more than the other organs. The results came as a shock, according to the study’s lead author Matthew Campen, a toxicologist and professor of pharmaceutical sciences at the University of New Mexico.

The researchers found that 24 of the brain samples, which were collected in early 2024, measured on average about 0.5% plastic by weight.

“It’s pretty alarming,” Campen said. “There’s much more plastic in our brains than I ever would have imagined or been comfortable with.”

The study describes the brain as “one of the most plastic-polluted tissues yet sampled”.

  • Rage+1 3
  • 4 weeks later...
Posted

I smell plastic.

https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/microplastics-brain-new-research-finds-plastics-olfactory-bulb-rcna171200

Microplastics can get into brain tissue, study shows

The tiny scraps of plastic were found in the olfactory bulb, the part of the brain responsible for processing smell.

Scientists in Brazil found microplastics in the brain tissue of cadavers, according to a new study published Monday in the journal JAMA Network Open.

Mounting research over the last few years has found microplastics in nearly every organ in the body, as well as in the bloodstream and in plaque that clogs arteries. Whether these ubiquitous pollutants can reach the human brain has been a primary concern for scientists.

The latest research looked at a part of the brain called the olfactory bulb, which processes information about smell. Humans have two olfactory bulbs, one above each nasal cavity. Connecting the olfactory bulb and the nasal cavity is the olfactory nerve.

Some researchers worry the olfactory pathway may also be an entry point for microplastics getting into the brain, beyond the olfactory bulb.

“Previous studies in humans and animals have shown that air pollution reaches the brain, and that particles have been found in the olfactory bulb, which is why we think the olfactory bulb is probably one of the first points for microplastics to reach the brain,” said lead study author Dr. Thais Mauad, an associate professor of pathology at the University of São Paulo Medical School in Brazil.

Mauad and her team took samples of olfactory bulb tissue from 15 cadavers of people who died between the ages of 33 and 100. Samples from eight of the cadavers contained microplastics — tiny bits of plastic that ranged from 5.5 micrometers to 26.4 micrometers in size.

In total, the researchers found 16 plastic fibers and particles in the tissues. The smallest were slimmer than the diameter of a human red blood cell, which measures about 8 micrometers. The most common type of plastic they found was polypropylene, followed by polyamide, nylon and polyethylene vinyl acetate.

“Propylene is everywhere, in furniture, rugs, clothes,” Mauad said. “We know the place we are most exposed to particles is indoors, because all of our homes are full of plastic.”

Matthew Campen, a toxicologist at the University of New Mexico who has studied microplastics in the brain, said the presence of microplastics in the olfactory bulb “is unique but not terribly surprising.”

“The nose is a major point of defense to keep particles and dust out of the lungs,” Campen wrote in an email. “So seeing some plastics in the olfactory system, especially given how they are being found everywhere else in the body, is completely expected.”

  • 6 months later...
Posted

another article about plastic in our brains.

We are so fucked.....

‐---------------------

Scientists sound alarm after making disturbing discovery while studying human brains: 'This stuff is increasing in our world exponentially'

Kritiksha Sharma

Mon, April 14, 2025 at 5:45 AM CDT

 

Scientists sound alarm after making disturbing discovery while studying human brains: 'This stuff is increasing in our world exponentially'

Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience.

Plastic pollution isn't just an ocean issue anymore — it is a lot closer to home than you might think. A recent study revealed that the average human brain may contain the equivalent of a whopping five plastic bottle caps' worth of microplastics.

The New York Times took a deeper dive into the topic on the heels of that study making the rounds in February, showing that scientists are only beginning to scratch the surface of what this could mean for our health.

What's happening?

In a groundbreaking study led by researchers at the University of New Mexico, scientists found that brain samples from 2024 contained nearly 50% more microplastics than those from just eight years ago. The average brain held roughly seven grams of plastic — the same as a disposable spoon.

More concerning still, the researchers observed higher levels of microplastics in the brains of people with dementia, though as the Times noted, the scientists at the lab "noted that might be because those brains have a more porous blood-brain barrier and are less able to clear toxins." Similar plastic particles have already been found in the human placenta, bloodstream, and even a baby's first stool.

As plastic accumulation balloons in the environment, it mirrors this growth in our bodies. "This stuff is increasing in our world exponentially," toxicologist Dr. Matthew Campen told The New York Times.

Why is this discovery concerning?

Once they enter the human body, some microplastic particles are so small they can pass through critical barriers and lodge in organs like the brain. While scientists haven't yet nailed down how much plastic is too much, early research findings suggest nothing short of dangerous.

 

Cue the groans of hopelessness.

 

"I don't think I've talked to a single person who's said: 'Fantastic! Love to know that there's all that plastic in my brain,'" Dr. Campen told the Times.

Current research shows links between microplastics and serious health issues, including cognitive decline, reproductive concerns, immune system disruption, memory loss, hormonal disruptions, and even developmental problems in children. And because most of this plastic waste is decades old, it's not just a problem of the future — it's already here.

Additionally, since microplastics also seep into the soil, water, and pollute the ecosystems, they pose a threat not only to people, but also to the wildlife and food systems we rely on. In short, this isn't simply a medical concern — it is a public health and environmental challenge with severe global implications.

What's being done about it?

The Times' deep dive, which has many more fascinating details, noted that Dr. Campden's team is continuing its research and "now studying tissue from cross-sections of a single brain to find out whether certain regions have higher microplastics concentrations and whether that could be linked to issues like Parkinson's or memory loss."

While researchers continue to investigate the health impacts of microplastics, efforts are already underway to tackle the problem from multiple fronts. Countries like France, England, and India have introduced bans on common single-use plastics, while cities including Los Angeles and New York are restricting items like Styrofoam and plastic produce bags.

On the individual level, practicing habits like swapping out single-use plastics for reusable alternatives, avoiding microwaving food in plastic containers, and using microfiber-catching laundry bags can all go a long way.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/scientists-sound-alarm-making-disturbing-104501398.html

 

Posted
13 minutes ago, freyguy said:

another article about plastic in our brains.

We are so fucked.....

‐---------------------

Scientists sound alarm after making disturbing discovery while studying human brains: 'This stuff is increasing in our world exponentially'

Kritiksha Sharma

Mon, April 14, 2025 at 5:45 AM CDT

 

Scientists sound alarm after making disturbing discovery while studying human brains: 'This stuff is increasing in our world exponentially'

Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience.

Plastic pollution isn't just an ocean issue anymore — it is a lot closer to home than you might think. A recent study revealed that the average human brain may contain the equivalent of a whopping five plastic bottle caps' worth of microplastics.

The New York Times took a deeper dive into the topic on the heels of that study making the rounds in February, showing that scientists are only beginning to scratch the surface of what this could mean for our health.

What's happening?

In a groundbreaking study led by researchers at the University of New Mexico, scientists found that brain samples from 2024 contained nearly 50% more microplastics than those from just eight years ago. The average brain held roughly seven grams of plastic — the same as a disposable spoon.

More concerning still, the researchers observed higher levels of microplastics in the brains of people with dementia, though as the Times noted, the scientists at the lab "noted that might be because those brains have a more porous blood-brain barrier and are less able to clear toxins." Similar plastic particles have already been found in the human placenta, bloodstream, and even a baby's first stool.

As plastic accumulation balloons in the environment, it mirrors this growth in our bodies. "This stuff is increasing in our world exponentially," toxicologist Dr. Matthew Campen told The New York Times.

Why is this discovery concerning?

Once they enter the human body, some microplastic particles are so small they can pass through critical barriers and lodge in organs like the brain. While scientists haven't yet nailed down how much plastic is too much, early research findings suggest nothing short of dangerous.

 

Cue the groans of hopelessness.

 

"I don't think I've talked to a single person who's said: 'Fantastic! Love to know that there's all that plastic in my brain,'" Dr. Campen told the Times.

Current research shows links between microplastics and serious health issues, including cognitive decline, reproductive concerns, immune system disruption, memory loss, hormonal disruptions, and even developmental problems in children. And because most of this plastic waste is decades old, it's not just a problem of the future — it's already here.

Additionally, since microplastics also seep into the soil, water, and pollute the ecosystems, they pose a threat not only to people, but also to the wildlife and food systems we rely on. In short, this isn't simply a medical concern — it is a public health and environmental challenge with severe global implications.

What's being done about it?

The Times' deep dive, which has many more fascinating details, noted that Dr. Campden's team is continuing its research and "now studying tissue from cross-sections of a single brain to find out whether certain regions have higher microplastics concentrations and whether that could be linked to issues like Parkinson's or memory loss."

While researchers continue to investigate the health impacts of microplastics, efforts are already underway to tackle the problem from multiple fronts. Countries like France, England, and India have introduced bans on common single-use plastics, while cities including Los Angeles and New York are restricting items like Styrofoam and plastic produce bags.

On the individual level, practicing habits like swapping out single-use plastics for reusable alternatives, avoiding microwaving food in plastic containers, and using microfiber-catching laundry bags can all go a long way.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/scientists-sound-alarm-making-disturbing-104501398.html

 

I’d like to see a comparison of plastic levels in the brains of vegans, vegetarians, pescatarians, carnivores, etc. I saw a video about 5 years ago where old bread with the plastic still on it was being thrown into a machine that makes the feed for cows. I’m sure this is going on more than we think but all of the plastic outrage seems to be directed at water bottles and drinking containers. 

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