Microplastics Found in Human Brain: 10-20 Times More Than Other Organs

Scientists have sounded the alarm after discovering significant amounts of microplastics in critical human organs, including the brain, and are urging for stricter measures to combat plastic pollution. A recent study revealed that the human brain contains more microplastics than any other organ, describing it as “one of the most plastic-polluted tissues yet examined.”

Microplastics, which are particles smaller than 5mm in diameter, have previously been detected in various human organs, including the lungs, placentas, livers, kidneys, reproductive organs, joints, blood vessels, and bone marrow. Just last month, microplastics were found in all 16 samples of bone marrow that were studied.

In the latest research conducted by the National Institutes of Health, microplastics were found to be accumulating in human brains. Sedat Gündoğdu, a microplastics researcher at Cukurova University in Turkey, emphasized the urgency of addressing plastic pollution, stating that the new findings make it “imperative to declare a global emergency.”

The study involved examining the livers, kidneys, and brains of deceased individuals and found microplastics in all these organs. However, the most alarming finding was the presence of 10 to 20 times more microplastics in the 91 brain samples than in the other organs.

The lead author of the study, Matthew Campen, a toxicologist and professor of pharmaceutical sciences at the University of New Mexico, expressed shock at the results. He noted that 24 of the brains collected in early 2024 contained an average of about 0.5% plastic by weight. “It’s pretty alarming. There’s much more plastic in our brains than I ever would have imagined or been comfortable with,” Campen said.

Another troubling finding was that the amount of microplastics in the brain appears to be increasing over time. Brain samples from 2024 contained about 50% more microplastics compared to samples from 2016.

The study, which has not yet been peer-reviewed or published, also suggests a possible link between microplastics and neurological conditions like dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. The brain samples from 12 individuals who had died from these diseases contained up to 10 times more plastic by weight than samples from healthier individuals. However, this part of the research has not yet been made publicly available, according to The Guardian.

In related research, a recent study in China discovered microplastics in the membranous lining of hip or knee joints of 45 patients undergoing joint surgery. Additionally, microplastics were found in all 23 human and 47 canine testicles in a study conducted in May.