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Higher respiratory microplastic burden in patients with lung malignancy: A prospective bronchoscopy study.
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Researchers examined lung fluid and tissue samples from 100 adults undergoing bronchoscopy, comparing 50 patients with newly diagnosed lung cancer to 50 without. Suspected microplastic particles were found in most patients, and were more common and numerous in those with lung malignancy, even after accounting for age, sex and smoking history.
Microplastics are an emerging airborne environmental exposure, but their distribution within human respiratory compartments remains poorly defined. In this prospective observational study, we investigated the presence, burden, and characteristics of microplastics in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid and paired airway-tissue samples obtained during diagnostic bronchoscopy in 100 adults, including 50 patients with newly diagnosed lung malignancy and 50 non-malignant controls. Suspected microplastics were identified using alkaline digestion, filtration, stereomicroscopy, and transmitted-light microscopy, with micro-Raman spectroscopy performed on a representative subset. Across 150 respiratory specimens, 232 suspected microplastic particles were identified optically, with at least one such particle observed in 70% of patients and 60% of specimens. Raman analysis of 117 particles identified 19 polymer-confirmed particles and 46 with synthetic pigment-dominated spectra without polymer confirmation; 52 yielded fluorescence-only spectra. In the BAL cohort, suspected microplastics were detected more frequently in the malignancy group than in controls and particle counts were higher. In multivariable analyses adjusting for age, sex, and cumulative smoking exposure, higher optically derived particle burden remained associated with malignancy. In the paired subset, overall detection frequency and total burden were higher in the malignancy group, and, within the malignancy subgroup, higher BAL particle counts were associated with lower tissue particle counts. Suspected microplastics were detectable across multiple respiratory compartments, with differences observed between airway-accessible and tissue-associated particles. These findings support the feasibility of assessing microplastics in clinically obtained respiratory samples and highlight the importance of integrated airway-tissue approaches for characterizing the distribution of inhaled environmental particles in the human lung.
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Microplastics in Human Thoracic Tissues: Increased Burden in Patients with Lung Malignancy
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Scientists looked at lung and chest tissue from 50 people having surgery for suspected lung cancer and found tiny plastic particles (microplastics) in nearly two-thirds of them. People with confirmed lung cancer were more likely to have these particles in their tissue, and in higher amounts, than those with non-cancerous conditions, though this study can't prove the plastics actually cause cancer. It's an early but important clue that the plastic particles we breathe in every day may be building up in our lungs and could be linked to cancer risk, something researchers say needs more investigation.
Microplastic Accumulation in the Human Lung: Distinct Signatures in Lung Cancer vs Normal Tissue
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Scientists found tiny plastic particles (from things like packaging and bottles) in all the lung tissue samples they studied, both cancerous and healthy. Cancer samples tended to have more plastic bits, especially smaller fiber-shaped pieces made of common plastics like polypropylene and PET, but this was a small study, so it can't yet prove plastics cause cancer, just that they're worth investigating further. Bottom line: this adds to growing evidence that microplastics are showing up in our bodies, and researchers want to know if they're contributing to lung disease.
Detection of Microplastics in Human Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid: Preliminary Evidence of Respiratory Exposure to Environmental Contaminants
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Researchers analyzed bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from eight adult patients undergoing diagnostic bronchoscopy and detected microplastics in the samples using microscopy, providing preliminary direct evidence that airborne microplastics deposit in the human respiratory tract.
An emerging role of microplastics in the etiology of lung ground glass nodules
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Researchers analyzed 100 human lung tissue samples and identified microplastics embedded in the tissue, with a higher detection rate in tumor samples compared to normal tissue. The abundance of microplastics in lung tissue appeared to increase with age, and the particles seemed to be physically embedded in the tissue rather than simply resting on the surface. The study provides direct evidence linking microplastic accumulation in lungs to ground glass nodules, an increasingly common finding on chest scans.
New evidence of the presence of micro- and nanoplastic particles in bronchioalveolar lavage samples of clinical trial subjects
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Researchers found micro- and nanoplastic particles in the lung fluid of patients undergoing bronchoscopy — a procedure that samples the deep airways — marking the first detection of airborne nanoplastics in the lower respiratory tract of living humans. All samples contained plastic particles, confirming that people in Northern Europe are regularly inhaling plastics, though the health effects remain under investigation.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.