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Bioaccumulation of Microplastics in Decedent Human Brains Assessed by Pyrolysis Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry

2024 61 citations ? Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count. Score: 70 ? 0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.

Justin Scott, Eliane El Hayek, Jorge González-Estrella, Marcus Garcia, Matthew J. Campen, Eliseo F. Castillo, Natalie L. Adolphi, Rui Liu, Alexander Nihart, Marian Olewine, Tamara Howard, Barry E. Bleske, Daniel Gallego

Summary

Researchers analyzed autopsy samples and found that human brains contained significantly higher concentrations of microplastics than livers or kidneys, with polyethylene being the dominant type. Strikingly, microplastic levels in brain tissue increased substantially between samples collected in 2016 and 2024, suggesting that human brain exposure to microplastics is rising over time.

Polymers

Body Systems

Hepatic Nervous Renal

Models

Human

Rising global concentrations of environmental micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs) drive concerns for human exposure and health outcomes. Applying pyrolysis gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS) methods to isolate and quantify MNPs from human samples, we compared MNP accumulation in kidneys, livers, and brains. Autopsy samples from the Office of the Medical Investigator in Albuquerque, NM, collected in 2016 and in 2024, were digested for Py-GC/MS analysis of 12 polymers. Brains exhibited higher concentrations of MNPs than liver or kidney samples. All organs exhibited significant increases from 2016 to 2024. Polyethylene was the predominant polymer; the relative proportion of polyethylene MNPs was greater in brain samples than in liver or kidney. Transmission electron microscopy verified the nanoscale nature of isolated particles, which largely appeared to be aged, shard-like plastics remnants across a wide range of sizes. Results demonstrate that MNPs are selectively accumulated into the human brain and concentrations are rising over time.

Bioaccumulation of Microplastics in Decedent Human Brains Assessed by Pyrolysis Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry

Summary

Discussion