Tag

Microplastics

All articles tagged with #microplastics

health12 days ago•3 min saved

Pittsburgh study reveals inhaled microplastics cripple lung immune cells and spread to major organs

A University of Pittsburgh study presented at the 2025 American Thoracic Society International Conference shows that inhaled microplastics impair lung macrophages within 24 hours, reducing their ability to absorb bacteria. The particles also migrate to the liver, spleen, colon, brain, and kidneys within a week. Researchers found that acadesine, a leukemia drug, can partially restore macrophage function, offering a potential therapeutic avenue while long-term immune disruption risks remain.

via Futura, le média qui explore le monde|

#acadesine #health #immune-system

environment24 days ago•2 min saved

Soil Trojan horse: tiny plastics spreading pollutants and pathogens

A five-year EU-funded study across 11 European countries finds microplastics in all 227 agricultural fields tested and in 22 peer-reviewed studies; these plastics act as Trojan horses, delivering pollutants, pesticides and microbes and forming plastispheres that may boost antibiotic-resistance genes, disrupt soil organisms, and impair plant growth, with drought exacerbating effects. Biodegradable plastics are not automatically safer, and researchers urge standardized monitoring, transparency from manufacturers, and risk assessments across species to protect long-term soil health.

via The Guardian|

#agriculture #antibiotic-resistance #environment

science1 month ago•56 min saved

Lung cancer patients show higher microplastic burden in lungs, study finds

A Greek study of 100 patients undergoing bronchoscopy found microplastics in 70% of participants; those later diagnosed with lung cancer had a higher microplastic burden in lung samples than those without cancer. The findings are observational and do not prove causation, and researchers say more work is needed to determine whether inhaled microplastics contribute to lung disease or are simply retained differently in diseased lungs.

via Yahoo|

#bronchoscopy #environmental-health #ers-congress

climate-environment1 month ago•11 min saved

Robotic Cleanup Fleet Aims to Remove 90% of Ocean Plastic by 2040

Autonomous plastic-eating interceptors from The Ocean Cleanup are rolling out in rivers and coastal waters with solar-powered vessels and AI-driven mapping, targeting the removal of 90% of floating ocean plastic by 2040. The program has expanded across multiple countries and cities, recovering tens of thousands of tons of plastic and recycling some of it, while critics caution that cleanup should complement upstream prevention, address microplastics, and consider potential impacts on biodiversity. The effort underscores the need for both debris removal and a broader strategy to reduce plastic production and improve waste management.

via Reasons to be Cheerful|

#climate-environment #microplastics #ocean-plastic-pollution

environment1 month ago•17 min saved

Great Lakes microplastics study aims to spur tougher plastics rules

Researchers at the Experimental Lakes Area seed Lake 378 with microplastics to study their fate, transport, and entry into the food web, part of a broader effort to push monitoring and policy action across the Great Lakes; the work, along with a growing body of evidence that microplastics are widespread in the basin, has spurred calls for stronger regulation and binational cooperation, even as local pollution issues—like Sarnia's Chemical Valley emissions and nurdle pollution—highlight ongoing health and environmental concerns.

via Chicago Tribune|

#environment #great-lakes #microplastics

science1 month ago•6 min saved

Cholesterol-filter Therapy May Also Sweep PFAS and Microplastics From Blood

Therapeutic apheresis, a blood-filtering therapy for lowering lipoproteins in severe cardiovascular disease, was found in small studies to also reduce circulating PFAS levels—up to 25% after one session in one protocol and 43.5–75.8% across five PFAS in another—while microplastic results were mixed and subject to measurement challenges. Researchers caution that these are exploratory, with small sample sizes and methodological differences; there is no proven reduction in total body PFAS or microplastics burden, and more controlled trials are needed before considering apheresis as a pollutant detox.

via ScienceAlert|

#cardiovascular-disease #lipoproteins #microplastics

science2 months ago•48 min saved

Today’s Everyday Things, Tomorrow’s Health Hazards: Readers Predict the Next Asbestos

A BuzzFeed Community post collects readers’ predictions about which everyday items and habits could be proven harmful in the future, ranging from microplastics and PFAS to AI-driven social media, scented products, vaping, and long-term effects of COVID, highlighting concerns about environmental exposures, consumer goods, and modern lifestyles becoming health risks down the line.

via buzzfeed.com|

#long-covid #microplastics #pfas

science2 months ago•13 min saved

Blood filtration may also scrub 'forever chemicals' from the body, study finds

A study of plasmapheresis, a blood-filtering technique used to lower cholesterol, found that it also reduced levels of several PFAS 'forever chemicals' and microplastics in patients’ blood, with PFAS dropping up to about 25%. However, the results are not yet proven in a controlled trial, and researchers caution that preventing exposure remains the primary solution while further research is conducted.

via The Independent|

#apheresis #blood-filtration #forever-chemicals

science2 months ago•5 min saved

Microplastics Found in Every Artery Sample, Study Raises Cardiovascular Questions

A Chinese-led study analyzed 17 arterial samples from surgical procedures and detected microplastics in all of them, with higher levels in arteries containing fatty plaques (coronary and carotid) than in the aorta; PET was the dominant plastic. While the findings raise concerns about potential cardiovascular effects, the researchers caution that a direct causal link isn’t proven and call for further study, alongside other 2024 findings that microplastics may associate with arterial plaques and stroke risk.

via ScienceAlert|

#arteries #atherosclerosis #cardiovascular-disease

lifestyle2 months ago•13 min saved

Heat-exposed water: bottled drinks left in cars may leach chemicals and microplastics

Health experts warn that bottled water left in hot cars can allow chemicals like BPA and phthalates to leach from the plastic, along with microplastics migrating into the liquid and bacteria growing in the moisture and warmth; switching to stainless-steel or glass bottles and keeping bottles clean is advised to reduce exposure.

via The Independent|

#bpas #health-safety #lifestyle

environment2 months ago•5 min saved

Activists push to include microplastics in drinking-water testing

The EPA's proposed drinking-water monitoring would require testing for up to 30 contaminants, but microplastics are not included, prompting a letter from 250 health professionals urging their addition; California has already moved ahead with microplastic screenings, though validated testing methods are not yet available, and the UCMR 6 timeline aims for finalization by year-end with implementation in 2028, while the public can submit comments by August 31.

via LAist|

#drinking-water #environment #epa

wellbeing2 months ago•21 min saved

Six practical swaps to cut microplastics from your meals

A Washington Post Well+Being piece explains how microplastics and related chemicals can enter everyday foods via plastic packaging and canned goods, and offers six practical swaps—such as avoiding plastic containers and cans, using glass or metal alternatives, and prioritizing fresh, minimally processed foods—to lower exposure and protect health.

via The Washington Post|

#food-safety #forever-chemicals-and-pfas #healthy-eating

health2 months ago•4 min saved

Microplastics Detected in Blood of Most Severe Heart Attack Patients, Study Shows

A study of 61 patients undergoing coronary angiograms found micro- and nanoplastics in the blood of about 84% of those with active severe heart attacks, with polyethylene most commonly detected; researchers stress that this shows association, not causation, and smoking and air pollution complicate interpretation. The authors suggest reducing daily plastic exposure (e.g., using glass containers) as part of a broader heart-healthy lifestyle.

via New York Post|

#angiogram #environment #health

health2 months ago•5 min saved

New Research Finds Microplastics in Blood of Most Acute Heart Attack Patients

Italian researchers analyzed blood from 61 patients undergoing angiograms and found micro- and nanoplastics in about 84% of those having an active, severe heart attack, far more than in those with chronic heart disease (40%) or normal arteries (32%). Polyethylene appeared in 97% of plastics-positive cases, and smoking was the strongest predictor of detectable plastic particles. The study, published in the European Heart Journal, shows an association rather than causation and is limited by size and scope; experts say reducing daily plastic exposure (e.g., using glass/ceramic containers and avoiding heating plastic) may be prudent as part of overall heart-healthy practices.

via Fox News|

#cardiovascular-health #environmental-health #health

environment2 months ago•3 min saved

Microplastics Reach Deep-Sea Vents; Indian Ocean Species Harbor 14.7× More Particles

A KRIBB-KIOST study analyzed deep-sea snails and mussels from hydrothermal vents in the North Fiji Basin (Pacific) and Central Indian Ridge, finding microplastics in 92% of the animals (average 3.42 particles per specimen). Polystyrene was most common; grazing snails concentrated plastics in digestive organs, while mussels showed a more even distribution. After adjusting for body weight, Indian Ocean specimens had up to 14.7× higher microplastic concentrations than Pacific specimens, likely due to differences in human activity, river inputs, and circulation. The researchers emphasize that surface plastic pollution has reached remote deep-sea ecosystems and advocate for monitoring and conservation policies.

via The Times of India|

#deep-sea #environment #hydrothermal-vents