Scientists in Nanjing, China, have discovered microplastics and dye particles in human thrombus samples for the first time, indicating a potential link between these particles and thrombus formation in humans.
The plastics, with diameters smaller than 5mm, or even as small as micro-nano, are referred to as microplastics, and they may be an “invisible killer” for human health.
According to the China Science and Technology Journal, a recent article published in the international academic journal “Journal of Advanced Research” reveals that a team led by Professor Xia Yanqi from Nanjing Medical University and another team led by Professor Luo Yingming at the Nanjing Institute of Soil Research under the Chinese Academy of Sciences have found a significant amount of microplastics and dye particles in human thrombus samples for the first time.
First discovery of a significant number of microplastics and dye particles in human thrombus samples. (Illustrative image: China Science and Technology Journal).
Professor Xia Yanqi stated in a media response on September 29 that “environmental factors, particularly microplastics and dye particles, may have a potential link to thrombus formation.”
With the continuous expansion of the scale and types of industrial production, an increasing number of synthetic materials have emerged in human daily life, leading to a rise in waste debris and microplastics generated during production in the environment.
Associate Professor Wu Di, a co-author of the study, believes that microplastics are becoming a new global pollutant. These are difficult-to-degrade plastic particles with diameters only at the nanometer and micrometer levels. “They are abundant in the oceans, soil, and can even be absorbed into the food chain by plant roots.”
The research team spent over a year collecting and analyzing 24 samples of human aortic thrombus and 2 samples of acute pulmonary embolism, finding a total of 87 particles. These particles included 1 low-density polyethylene particle, 22 dye particles, and the remaining particles were iron compounds and metal oxides. The particle sizes ranged from 2.1 to 26 microns, with the low-density polyethylene particle measuring 5.1 microns in diameter. These particles exhibited irregular shapes.
So how do microplastics and dye particles contribute to thrombus formation? The research team found that the quantity of microplastics and dye particles detected in patients correlated significantly with platelet levels, leading to a hypothesis. “We hypothesize that there are small thrombi with cores made of particles like microplastics in the blood, and these small thrombi continuously attract other particles in the blood, causing the thrombus to grow larger. Additionally, the increase of particles like microplastics in the blood system may raise the probability of collisions between small thrombi, platelets, and particles, thereby accelerating thrombus formation,” shared Professor Xia Yanqi.
In recent years, numerous studies have discovered the presence of microplastics in the human body. In 2021, a research team from Nanjing University published findings in the Journal of Environmental Science and Technology, revealing that participants who frequently consumed bottled water, ate takeout food, and worked in dusty environments had higher levels of microplastics in their feces, while elevated microplastic levels in the body could exacerbate inflammatory bowel conditions.
In 2022, a research group led by VU Amsterdam in the Netherlands published a paper in the journal “International Journal of Environmental Research”, confirming the first discovery of microplastics in human blood.
