For over 60 years, plastic production has been on the rise, making it one of the most commonly used synthetic materials globally. Plastic’s ubiquity has led to an alarming discovery: nanoplastics have been found in human tissue samples.
A collaborative research effort led by the University of New Mexico and including contributions from Oklahoma State University (OSU), Duke University, and the Universidad de Valle in Colombia confirmed the presence of nanoplastics in human tissues.
Dr. Jorge Gonzalez Estrella, an assistant professor in the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering at OSU, and Justin Scott, a postdoctoral researcher, analyzed tissue samples using pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (py-GC/MS). This advanced method allowed them to identify nanoplastics in autopsied patients’ brain, kidney, and liver tissues from 2016 to 2024.
“Our motivation stems from understanding how plastics accumulate in tissues and the mechanisms by which they enter the body,” Scott explained. “Our project aims to uncover exposure routes, accumulation patterns, and the toxicity of nanoplastics in the environment.”
Their py-GC/MS approach can identify 12 different polymers. The method involves:
Remove organic material from the samples.
Apply Nile Red dye to the samples.
Use a fluorescent microscope to identify plastic particles.
Findings:
Plastic particles have been detected in brain tissues, with exceptionally high concentrations found in individuals diagnosed with dementia.
Newer samples showed higher plastic concentrations, suggesting a steady rise over time.
Gonzalez Estrella emphasized the need for more research to understand how plastic enters the body, noting that everyday items, such as food packaging, could be sources.
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He explained that new plastic materials are initially contained but can release smaller particles when exposed to environmental factors like solar radiation or repeated use.
Utilizing OSU’s expertise in py-GC/MS, Gonzalez Estrella and Scott confirmed the presence of nanoplastics, complementing UNM’s visual microscopy method for larger plastic particles.
“By using different methods to study the same issue, we validated our findings through diverse approaches,” Gonzalez Estrella said.
Scientists are making significant progress in their efforts to study the potential health effects of nanoplastics. They mainly focus on developing more sensitive methods to yield more conclusive findings.
This study highlights the widespread emergence of plastics in our environment and the urgent need for further exploration of the health consequences of nanoplastics in human tissues.
Journal Reference
Nihart, A. J., Garcia, M. A., El Hayek, E., Liu, R., Olewine, M., Kingston, J. D., Castillo, E. F., Gullapalli, R. R., Howard, T., Bleske, B., Scott, J., Gross, J. M., Spilde, M., Adolphi, N. L., Gallego, D. F., Jarrell, H. S., Dvorscak, G., E., M., West, A. B., . . . Campen, M. J. (2025). Bioaccumulation of microplastics in decedent human brains. Nature Medicine, 1-6. DOI: 10.1038/s41591-024-03453-1