We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
All-consuming plastic
AI summary Read the abstract
This news feature covers the first study confirming microplastics in human stool samples, conducted by a Vienna researcher who connected plastic pollution science to clinical gastroenterology. The study found microplastics in all tested participants, suggesting universal human exposure through food and drink.
About a year ago, Philipp Schwabl, a research scientist and physician specializing in intestinal diseases at the Medical University of Vienna, read an article about plastic pollution and started to connect the dots. About 8 million metric tons of plastic waste enters the oceans every year; eventually those bottles and bags break down into particles. Schwabl wondered whether tiny plastic particles—known as microplastics—are entering the food chain and being consumed by people and, if so, whether they could harm cells and tissue in the human gut. Schwabl could find no definitive answers, so he decided to undertake his own study. Serendipitously, he discovered that Bettina Liebmann, an analytical chemist who heads Environment Agency Austria’s effort to analyze microplastics, was based a few minutes’ bicycle ride away. The pair teamed up and in October 2018 released the outline of a small pilot study, now undergoing peer review, that they say is
More Papers Like This
Detection of Various Microplastics in Human Stool
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers analyzed human stool samples and detected various types of microplastic particles, providing direct evidence that microplastics pass through the human digestive system. The study highlights that people are routinely ingesting microplastics through everyday food and drink consumption.
Microplastics Found in Human Stool
AI summary Read the abstract
A study confirmed that tiny plastic particles are making it into human intestines and appearing in fecal samples, providing direct evidence that people ingest microplastics through food and water. This finding raised significant public concern about the potential health effects of plastic particles accumulating in the human body.
You are what you eat: Microplastics in the feces of young men living in Beijing
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers collected and analyzed fecal samples from 26 young men in Beijing to measure microplastic content. They found microplastics in all samples, with the amount correlating to the participants' consumption of packaged food and beverages, providing direct evidence that people are regularly ingesting microplastics through their diet.
Take-out containers as nano- and microplastics reservoirs: Diet-driven gut dysbiosis in university students
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers analyzed stool samples from 24 university students and found microplastics in every sample, with students who frequently ate from plastic take-out containers having significantly higher levels. The most common plastic type was PET, likely from food packaging. Higher microplastic levels were associated with changes in gut bacteria composition, suggesting that everyday habits like eating take-out food could disrupt gut health through microplastic exposure.
Microplastics in stools and their influencing factors among young adults from three cities in China: A multicenter cross-sectional study
AI summary Read the abstract
In a study of 78 college students across three Chinese cities, microplastics were detected in the stool of nearly every participant, with a median concentration of about 55 micrograms per gram. People who ate more takeout food had significantly higher microplastic levels in their stool. This is one of the first studies to measure the actual mass of microplastics passing through young adults' digestive systems, confirming that diet and food packaging directly influence human exposure.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.