Average Human Brain May Contain Spoonful of Plastic, Study Finds

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Average Human Brain May Contain Spoonful of Plastic, Study Finds
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A new study published in Nature Medicine found that the average human brain may contain about seven grams of microplastics, a 50% increase from samples collected nearly a decade ago. The research, which analyzed brain tissue from autopsies, also found higher concentrations of polyethylene, commonly used in bottles and films, in brain microplastics compared to those found in liver and kidney samples.

A new study found the average human brain may contain a spoonful of plastic. Microplastics and nanoplastics have been found in various parts of the human body before this latest research. This new study, published Monday in the journal Nature Medicine, looked at the content of brain samples collected during autopsies from 2016 and 2024.

Concerning concentration of microplastics found in human testes, study findsThere was also an increase in the amount of microplastics found in liver and kidney samples used in the study, but not as much of an increase as the amount found in the brain matter that was tested. The microplastics found in the brain tissue had a higher concentration of polyethylene — used in many products like bottles and films — than plastics that were found in livers or kidneys, the study also said.

Microplastics in human placentas raise fetal, maternal health concerns

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