The only good news here is that it's possible that the body can clear the plastics. This is from the linked study:
> While we suspected that MNPs might accumulate in the body over a lifespan, the lack of correlation between total plastics and decedent age (P = 0.87 for brain data) does not support this (Supplementary Fig. 1). However, total mass concentration of plastics in the brains analyzed in this study increased by approximately 50% in the past 8 years. Thus, we postulate that the exponentially increasing environmental concentrations of MNPs2,14 may analogously increase internal maximal concentrations. Although there are few studies to draw on yet performed in mammals, in zebrafish exposed to constant concentrations, nanoplastic uptake increased to a stable plateau and cleared after exposure15; however, the maximal internal concentrations were increased proportionately with higher nanoplastic exposure concentrations. While clearance rates and elimination routes of MNPs from the brain remain uncharacterized, it is possible that an equilibrium—albeit variable between people—might occur between exposure, uptake and clearance, with environmental exposure concentrations ultimately determining the internal body burden.
Which means that if we were to take action on this, we might actually be able to reduce our exposure. Unfortunately, things are going in the wrong direction.
I keep thinking it would be nice if microplastic exposure were to start generating the kind of focus and controversy that is currently taking place with vaccines and autism spectrum disorder.
Interesting. My father has received a ton of donor blood over the past few years. Once he's gone I'll be donating regularly. My father's alive because dozens of people donated.
To anyone here that has made a deposit to the blood bank: we thank you.
Cool, what was I gonna do with it? Unless we're selling to Dracula, owning external blood is highly regulated. So anyone buying has some credentials to use it.
>>environmental exposure concentrations ultimately determining the internal body burden.
As another commenter asked "How did the amount of brain microplastic manage to double between 2016 and 2025?" It is doubtful that the environmental concentration level doubled during this time.
> While we suspected that MNPs might accumulate in the body over a lifespan, the lack of correlation between total plastics and decedent age (P = 0.87 for brain data) does not support this (Supplementary Fig. 1). However, total mass concentration of plastics in the brains analyzed in this study increased by approximately 50% in the past 8 years. Thus, we postulate that the exponentially increasing environmental concentrations of MNPs2,14 may analogously increase internal maximal concentrations. Although there are few studies to draw on yet performed in mammals, in zebrafish exposed to constant concentrations, nanoplastic uptake increased to a stable plateau and cleared after exposure15; however, the maximal internal concentrations were increased proportionately with higher nanoplastic exposure concentrations. While clearance rates and elimination routes of MNPs from the brain remain uncharacterized, it is possible that an equilibrium—albeit variable between people—might occur between exposure, uptake and clearance, with environmental exposure concentrations ultimately determining the internal body burden.
Which means that if we were to take action on this, we might actually be able to reduce our exposure. Unfortunately, things are going in the wrong direction.
I keep thinking it would be nice if microplastic exposure were to start generating the kind of focus and controversy that is currently taking place with vaccines and autism spectrum disorder.