Researchers Analyze Microplastics in Brain, Liver, and Kidney Tissues
Sharp Increase in Concentration in 2024 Samples Compared to 2016
Significant Accumulation in the Brain... Even Higher Levels in Dementia Patients
A study has revealed that microplastics are harmful not only to the environment but also to the human body. On the 4th, Chosun Biz reported, "An international research team including the University of New Mexico in the United States published the results of investigating the distribution of microplastics in human brain, liver, and kidney tissues in the international academic journal ‘Nature Medicine.’"
On November 23 last year, ahead of the 5th International Negotiating Committee meeting (INC5) for the Global Plastic Treaty held at BEXCO in Busan, members of environmental organizations shouted slogans in front of a sculpture emphasizing the need for plastic regulations at Olympic Park in Haeundae-gu, Busan. Photo by Yonhap News
In this study, microplastics were analyzed in human brain (frontal lobe), liver, and kidney tissues obtained through autopsies conducted between 2016 and 2024. The main detected microplastic components were polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR). Notably, in brain tissue, the proportion of polyethylene was the highest, exceeding 75%. The concentration of microplastics found in the liver and kidneys in 2016 was similar, but the brain tissue accumulated microplastics at a much higher concentration. In 2024, the microplastic concentration in the brain was significantly higher than in the liver and kidneys.
The microplastic concentration itself was much higher in the 2024 samples compared to the 2016 samples, with the brain’s microplastic concentration increasing by 50% compared to the 2016 samples. The research team explained, "As the concentration of microplastics in the environment increases, it is highly likely that the accumulation within the body is also increasing."
The researchers also investigated the distribution of microplastics in the brains of 12 patients diagnosed with dementia. The results showed that the microplastic concentration in the brains of dementia patients was more than seven times higher. The research team stated, "Microplastics were primarily concentrated in the walls of brain blood vessels and immune cells," and explained, "Microplastics may be associated with neuroinflammation or damage to the blood-brain barrier (BBB)."
However, this study did not directly prove a causal relationship between microplastics and dementia or other neurological diseases. The researchers emphasized, "Further studies are needed on the pathways of microplastic entry into the body, the mechanisms of accumulation in the brain, and the processes of removal and excretion," and added, "Long-term studies involving diverse populations should also be conducted."
Microplastics refer to ultrafine plastic particles ranging in size from 1 nm (nanometer, one billionth of a meter) to 500 μm (micrometer, one millionth of a meter). The concentration of microplastics in the global environment has increased exponentially over the past 50 years. The Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology analyzed sediments from Masan Bay and Jinhae Bay along the southern coast of Korea from 1970 to 2020 and found that microplastic pollution has more than doubled since the 2000s. The types of microplastics have also increased from 2 to 20, indicating that microplastic pollution is becoming increasingly severe.
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