A recent article in The Guardian has sparked a lively debate within the scientific community about the detection of microplastics in human tissues. While the petrochemical industry may see this as a “bombshell,” independent researchers are collectively working to bring clarity to this complex and evolving field of study.
The article rightly points out that there is ongoing work to refine, standardise, and harmonise the analytical techniques used to examine microscopic particles in tissue samples. Distinguishing microplastics from lipids remains a particular challenge. However, this does not mean that the entire area of research is flawed.
Reputable researchers using well-validated methods have directly observed microplastic particles in multiple human tissues under the microscope and have even identified the specific types of plastics present in these particles. Moreover, there is growing evidence about how the chemicals in microplastics can harm human health. These microscopic particles can act as vectors, transporting toxic plastic chemicals such as phthalates, bisphenols, and brominated flame retardants from the environment into the human body, where they can then leach out and contribute to a range of diseases, from cancer to heart disease and decreased fertility.
This means that the presence of microplastics in the human body needs to be taken seriously, even though we don’t yet fully understand all the ways in which they may impact health. They cannot simply be dismissed.
To address this challenge, the newly launched Countdown on Health and Plastics, established under the sponsorship of The Lancet, will be coordinating global efforts to improve analyses of microplastics in human tissues and to increase knowledge of the potential impacts of these microscopic particles on human health.
While it is important to have open and critical discussions about scientific research, individual studies that fall short of best practices do not represent the broader scientific community, which has long valued analytical rigour and has built structures to support and uphold it. As the scientific process continues to unfold, researchers remain committed to providing clarity and advancing our understanding of this complex issue for the benefit of human and planetary health.
