Just Breathe In Those Hearty Microplastics!

Microplastics seem to get everywhere. These now ubiquitous pollutants can be found, when carrying out autopses, deep in the lungs, of cadavers. A study carried out by workers at the Hull York Medical School has, for the first time, found microplastics lodged deep in the lungs of living patients (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/apr/06/microplastics-found-deep-in-lungs-of-living-people-for-first-time). The study took lung tissue from 13 patients, undergoing surgery. Particles were found in these tissues of 11 subjects. The microplastics were generally polypropylene (found in plastic packaging and pipes) or polyethylene terephthalate (found in plastic drinks bottles). The precise impact of these microplastics on human health are not yet established but their particle size is such, that they could be damaging to cells.