Effects of microplastics on health: Plastic has been used in various ways for many decades and its dangerous results have started to appear. Nowadays, plastic has become the main cause of pollution. Due to this, pollution is increasing from soil to water. Very small pieces of plastic are called microplastics.

Their size can be less than 5 millimeters or up to 1 nanometer. Microplastics have got mixed in air, water and food items and have started reaching the human body. The situation is such that plastic particles are accumulating in every part of the human body. They are found from the private parts of the human body to the brain. According to a recent study, in the last 8 years, a lot of plastic pieces have reached the human brain.

According to scientists, about 0.5 percent of microplastics have accumulated in people's brains. Microplastics entering the human body can have a very dangerous effect on health. Let's know the effects of microplastics on health and what has been revealed in new research...

Microplastics are accumulating in the brain.
According to a report in CNN, in the year 2024, researchers took several samples of human brain while testing dead bodies and then did research on microplastics in it. This research revealed that the amount of microplastics in the human brain has increased by 50 percent compared to the samples taken 8 years ago. Scientists involved in the research say that the plastic concentration in the brain tissues of people whose average age was 45 or 50 years was 4800 micrograms per gram i.e. 0.5% by weight.

According to the study's lead author Matthew Campen, Regent Professor of Pharmaceutical Science at the University of New Mexico, the risk of brain problems
has increased due to the increasing amount of plastic in the brain as compared to the year 2016. However, research on the damage caused by microplastics is yet to be done. More research is still needed to understand the effect of plastic particles on brain cells. It was also found that more plastic pieces were deposited in the brain than in the kidney and liver.

Where were microplastics found?
Studies done so far have shown that microplastics are accumulating in the human body from heart, blood stream, lungs, liver, private parts to placenta. It is difficult to avoid plastic in today's life. From smartphones or computers to things of daily use, plastic is found in them. However, plastic bags and bottles can be avoided. In the research, samples of brain tissue were taken from the frontal cortex. This is the part related to thinking and reasoning and is most affected in dementia and Alzheimer's.

Health effects of microplastics
Accumulation of microplastics in human body parts increases the risk of cell damage and inflammation. Microplastics can disrupt endocrine functions, causing hormonal imbalance. The chemicals present in them can cause cancer, reproductive problems and developmental problems. Microplastics can cause intestinal upset, impair digestion and immunity.