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Pilot Study on Human Exposure to Microplastics in Intraocular Fluids and Bisphenols in Serum: Analytical Detection and Characterisation
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Scientists found tiny plastic particles inside the fluid of human eyes and detected plastic-related chemicals called bisphenols (like BPA) in blood samples from the same people, showing that plastics can accumulate in places we might not expect, including our eyes. This is early, small-scale research, so it doesn't yet tell us whether these plastics are harmful, but it adds to growing evidence that microplastics are getting into our bodies in ways scientists are still working to understand.
The widespread presence of microplastics (MPs) and associated plastic-derived compounds, bisphenols (BPs), in the environment—originating from plastic production or adsorption of environmental pollutants—results in unavoidable human exposure. Therefore, assessing their occurrence in human biological samples is essential for understanding potential health risks. In this study, pyrolysis gas chromatography–mass spectrometry was used to analyse human intraocular fluids—aqueous humour (AH) and vitreous humour (VH)—to identify 11 microplastic polymer clusters. A method based on dansyl chloride derivatisation combined with ultra-performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry was employed to screen for five bisphenols (BPs) in blood serum collected from the same patients. Potential MPs isolated from ocular samples were qualitatively assessed by stereomicroscopy. The number of particles ranged from 14 to 69 per gram in AH and from 21 to 34 per gram in VH. Among AH samples, the most frequently detected polymer clusters were C-PVC, C-PMMA, C-PET, and C-PP, with average levels ranging from 0.41 to 0.84 µg/g. The three VH samples contained only C-PMMA, with an average concentration of 0.55 ± 0.12 µg/g. Polymers such as C-PA66 (0.30 ± 0.21 µg/g) and C-PA6 (0.15 ± 0.44 µg/g) were occasionally observed in AH. Analysis of 13 human serum samples demonstrated exposure to bisphenol A (BPA; 4.05–5.18 ng/mL) and bisphenol AF (BPAF; 2.13–4.54 ng/mL), but no clear correlation was observed between serum BP levels and intraocular MPs within the limitations of the present dataset. These findings suggest the presence of MPs and BPs in human biological samples; however, the results should be interpreted with caution owing to potential background contamination and the pilot nature of the study.
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Pilot Study on Human Exposure to Microplastics in Intraocular Fluids and Bisphenols in Serum: Analytical Detection and Characterization
AI summary Read the abstract
Scientists found tiny plastic particles inside the fluid of human eyes and detected plastic-related chemicals called bisphenols (like BPA) in blood samples from the same people — showing these substances can reach deep into our bodies, even the eyes. This is a small pilot study, so it doesn't prove these plastics cause harm, but it's an early warning sign that our everyday exposure to plastic may be more widespread in the body than we realized, and more research is needed to understand what this means for our health.
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For the first time, researchers detected microplastics in the aqueous humor, the clear fluid inside the human eye. Five types of plastic were found, with polyethylene and PVC being the most common, and adults had more particles than children or elderly individuals. This discovery adds the eye to the growing list of human organs where microplastics accumulate, raising new questions about potential effects on eye health.
Detection and Characterization of Multiple Microplastics in the Human Retina
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Scientists detected microplastics in all 12 post-mortem human retina samples tested, with concentrations averaging about 49 micrograms per gram of tissue. Common plastics like polystyrene, polyethylene, polypropylene, and PVC were found, mostly as tiny fragments and fibers between 20 and 50 micrometers. This is the first study to confirm and measure microplastics in the human eye, raising new questions about whether these particles could affect vision or retinal health over time.
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