Microplastics found in human heart for first time
A new study suggests invasive medical procedures may be
an overlooked route of microplastics exposure, raising concerns
about potential health risks. Minute particles of plastic (called
microplastics) are everywhere. They’ve been found in our water,
in our food, and in the air we breathe, according to a 2021
scientific review. Just a year later, another study found
microplastics in the human bloodstream. Now, in what
researchers are calling a first, microplastics have been detected in
the heart tissues of individuals who underwent cardiac surgery.
According to the author of the research, the detection of
microplastics in vivo is alarming, and more studies are necessary
to investigate how the microparticles enter the cardiac tissues and
the potential effects of microplastics on long-term prognosis after
cardiac surgery. The author and his team used direct infrared
imaging, and identified 20 to 500 micrometer-wide particles
made from eight types of plastic. The scientists also found plastic
particles in blood samples collected from participants. They
added that “microplastics are highly likely to distribute in various
organs throughout the body.”
A fraction of the plastic pieces identified had a diameter
too large to likely enter the body through inhalation or ingestion,
according to the analysis. This indicated that the heart operation
itself may permit direct access of microplastics to the
bloodstream and tissues. The researchers cited previous scientific
investigation showing that microplastics have been detected in
the air in operating rooms and could directly enter a patient
whose organs are exposed to the air during surgery.
Such large particles may also come from equipment and
materials used in a heart operation, including surgical incision
protective film, intravenous therapy bags, tubing, and syringes.
The types of plastics detected might also offer evidence that
microplastics could be introduced during surgery, which may
raise the risk of heart disease.
Internet: <www.everydayhealth.com> (adapted).