Accumulations of Micro Plastics in Decedent Brains

[Buck_Mulligan]

A new preliminary study published today in Nature alerts to an alarming increase between 2016 and 2024 of concentrations in the liver, but particularly in the brain, of micro and nano plastics. If I understand correctly, the increase was 67% for the brain, and apparently higher still among those suffering dementia at death.

Conclusions
The present data suggest a trend of increasing MNP concentrations in the brain and liver. The majority of MNPs found in tissues consist of PE and appear to be nanoplastic shards or flakes. MNP concentrations in normal decedent brain samples were 7–30 times greater than the concentrations seen in livers or kidneys, and brain samples from dementia cases exhibited even greater MNP presence. These data are associative and do not establish a causal role for such particles affecting health. For this, refinements to the analytical techniques, more complex study designs and much larger cohorts are needed. Given the exponentially rising environmental presence of MNPs19,20,21, these data compel a much larger effort to understand whether MNPs have a role in neurological disorders or other human health effects.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-024-03453-1

[Guybrush]

Yuck. It's too awful to think about 😢

[DJChameleon]

Micro plastics just blowing in the air as air pollution definitely sky rocketed for people in LA from the recent fires.