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Microplastics in the Lung Tissues Associated with Blood Test Index
Summary
Researchers analyzed lung tissue from 12 nonsmoking patients and found microplastics in all samples, with 12 different plastic types detected and polypropylene being the most common. Women and people living near major roads had higher microplastic levels in their lungs, and the amounts correlated with changes in blood clotting markers. This study provides direct evidence that microplastics accumulate in human lungs and may affect blood health, even in people who have never smoked.
Microplastics (MPs) have received a lot of attention and have been detected in multiple environmental matrices as a new environmental hazard, but studies on human internal exposure to MPs are limited. Here, we collected lung tissue samples from 12 nonsmoking patients to evaluate the characteristics of MPs in human lung tissues using an Agilent 8700 laser infrared imaging spectrometer and scanning electron microscopy. We detected 108 MPs covering 12 types in the lung tissue samples, with a median concentration of 2.19 particles/g. Most of the MPs (88.89%) were sized between 20 to 100 μm. Polypropylene accounts for 34.26% of the MPs in the lung tissues, followed by polyethylene terephthalate (21.30%) and polystyrene (8.33%). Compared with males and those living far from a major road (≥300 m), females and those living near the main road (<300 m) had higher levels of MPs in lung tissues, which positively correlated with platelet (PLT), thrombocytocrit, fibrinogen (FIB), and negatively related with direct bilirubin (DB). These findings help confirm the presence in the respiratory system and suggest the potential sources and health effects of inhaled MPs.
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