Today, plastic production continues non-stop around the world, and local measures to ban plastic bags and packaging have not yet solved the global problem. Currently, plastic production is more than 300 million tons per year, and an estimated 2.5 million tons are floating in the world's oceans. Scientists understand that the concentrations of micro- and nano-plastics in the environment will only increase, so they regularly study the effects on the human body.
In a new study, a team from the University of New Mexico found that the amount of microplastics in the human brain has increased by 50% over the past eight years. To reach this conclusion, the scientists studied 52 brain samples taken from the frontal cortex. This area of the brain is responsible for decision-making, thinking, movement, and other vital functions.
The concentration of microplastics in the brain was higher than in the liver and kidneys of people who were also examined in the study, using microscopic imaging and molecular analysis to determine their chemical composition. A total of 12 different polymers, including polyethylene, were found in the brain.
The author of the study, Matthew Campen, believes that most microplastics enter the body through food, and especially through meat. “Commercial meat production, as is right, concentrates plastic in the food chain,” he said. During the study, they confirmed that store-bought meat contains high concentrations of plastic.
Scientists are just beginning to study the long-term effects of microplastics on the body. For example, one study found that microplastics in blood vessels increase the risk of stroke, heart attack, and overall mortality by five times.
