Plastic has now made it into our bloodstream, what does this mean for us?

Microplastics have been found in human blood for the first time, increasing concerns about their impact on human health.

The microscopic particles, some as small as 0.0007mm - that’s about a twentieth of the width of a human hair - were discovered in 77 per cent of the healthy adult blood donors tested in the new study in the Netherlands in 2021.

While the impact of microplastics on the human body are still unknown, these findings once again highlight how the fossil fuel-based material is invading every area of human life.

Microplastics have already been discovered in human faeces, babies and even in unborn foetuses - and scientists fear that the nanoparticles could use the bloodstream to reach our organs.

“Blood as a component makes up 6-7 per cent of body weight in humans. It irrigates the body’s organs and is the transport pathway for oxygen, nutrients and potentially also plastic particles around the body to other tissues and organs,” says the study.

Nearly 80 per cent of the 22 anonymised blood donors in the study, published in the journal Environmental International, were found to have quantifiable plastic particles in their blood. PET (polyethylene terephthalate), which is used to make drinks bottles was located in 50 per cent of the donors, while polystyrene - used for packaging was discovered in 36 per cent.

The third most common particle was polyethylene, commonly used to make plastic shopping bags, which was found in 23 per cent of participants.

While there is currently not enough data on microplastics in the human body to create a human health risk assessment (HRA), the research highlights that, “it is scientifically plausible that plastic particles may be transported to organs via the bloodstream”.

The study adds,