Scientists have discovered something in human blood that is disturbing and the truth is that humans themselves are to blame.
There are tiny particles traced in approximately 80% of people who took part in the study that indicates we consume plastic through food and water.
Some of the plastic found in humans comes from PET plastic which is used in drink bottles. Another source of plastic was polystyrene, used for packaging food and products, and another prevalent source in the blood samples was polyethylene, the most commonly produced plastic.
Professor Dick Vethaak, an ecotoxicologist at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam in the Netherlands, explained the results saying, “Our study is the first indication that we have polymer particles in our blood – it’s a breakthrough result. But we have to extend the research and increase the sample sizes, the number of polymers assessed, etc.”
The professor also noted that the research is just the beginning and more needs to be done.
“It is certainly reasonable to be concerned,” Vethaak said in an interview. “The particles are there and are transported throughout the body.”
“We also know in general that babies and young children are more vulnerable to chemical and particle exposure,” he added. “That worries me a lot.”
“The big question is what is happening in our body?” Vethaak said. “Are the particles retained in the body? Are they transported to certain organs, such as getting past the blood-brain barrier?” And are these levels sufficiently high to trigger disease? We urgently need to fund further research so we can find out.”
Professor Vethaak wrote about the risk of cancer in another review paper on the study. “More detailed research on how micro- and nano-plastics affect the structures and processes of the human body, and whether and how they can transform cells and induce carcinogenesis, is urgently needed, particularly in light of the exponential increase in plastic production. The problem is becoming more urgent with each day.”
For many, this is serving as a wake-up call regarding air pollution and waste disposal. Their fervor is in their blood.
