Scientists find microplastics in every human placenta tested in new study

The study authors are concerned about the increasing amount of microplastics. (Representative photo)

Environmental activists have been warning about plastic pollution for decades. But still, plastic is so ubiquitous that it pervades every corner of our lives and the planet, and we manufacture countless plastic materials, from milk cartons to window frames. Now, scientists at the University of New Mexico Health Sciences have used a new tool to measure how much of these microplastics are in the human placenta. In the study, published in the journal Toxicological Sciences, the researchers found concentrations of microplastics ranging from 6.5 to 790 micrograms per gram of tissue in all 62 placental samples tested.

Scientists said that while these numbers may seem small, the concern is that the amount of microplastics in the environment is increasing, which could have health implications. Matthew Kampen, lead author of the study, said he was concerned about the increasing amount of microplastics. “If we see effects on the placenta, then all mammalian life on Earth could be affected, and that's not good,” he says.

In the study, the team analyzed donated placental tissue. They chemically treated the samples in a process called saponification, which “digested” the fats and proteins into a type of soap. Each sample was then centrifuged in an ultracentrifuge, leaving a small chunk of plastic at the bottom of the tube. Next, the team used a technique called pyrolysis. They placed plastic pellets in metal cups and heated them to 600 degrees Celsius, capturing the gas emissions as different types of plastic burn at specific temperatures.

“The researchers found that the most abundant polymer in placental tissue was polyethylene, which is used to make plastic bags and bottles,” the study authors wrote. “Polyvinyl chloride (better known as PVC) and nylon each accounted for about 10% of the total, with nine other polymers making up the rest,” they said. added.

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Kampen said increased concentrations of microplastics in human tissues may explain increases in some health problems, such as inflammatory bowel disease and colon cancer, as well as lower sperm counts in people under 50. said. He added that the concentration of microplastics in the placenta is particularly problematic because the placenta is only eight months old.

“The situation is only going to get worse, doubling every 10 to 15 years. This means that even if we can stop it today, by 2050 there will be three times as much in the background as today. Plastic is going to exist, and we're not going to stop it today,” Kampen said.

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