Scientists Sound the Alarm on Microplastics Invading Human Brain

A new study has found that microplastics have been discovered in the human brain.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the tiny particles of plastics can be anywhere from 1 nanometer in size — which the naked eye can’t see — all the way to 5 millimeters — which is equivalent to roughly the size of a pencil eraser.

These particles have been discovered in everything from the ocean water and air to many common foods such as rice and chicken.

A recent study looked at increasing levels of what are known as micros and non plastics, also called MNPs, that are present in the environment, as well as what effect they might have on human health.

The researchers involved examined the particles that were found in the organs of humans — specifically in the bain, kidneys and livers. To do this, they used autopsy samples that were collected in New Mexico between 2016 and 2024.

The samples of the brain tissue they examined came from the frontal cortex, the area of the brain that’s responsible for motor tasks, creativity and abstract thinking.

According to the study, the human brain had higher concentrations of these small plastics than the kidneys or liver did. In addition, the amount of plastic that was found in all human organs has significantly increased over time.

The lead author of the study, Matthew Campen, said the brain tissue of “normal individuals” between 45 and 50 years old had plastic particles at a concentration of 4,800 micrograms per gram. In layman’s terms, this means the plastics made up roughly 0.5% of the total weight of the tissue.

As Campen explained:

“Compared to autopsy brain samples from 2016, that’s about 50% higher. That would mean that our brains today are 99.5% brain and the rest is plastic.”

The leading type of plastic that was found in the brain is called polyethylene. This plastic is produced widely and used in many things including plastic bags, toys, storage containers and packaging.

The National Institutes of Health funded the study, but it hasn’t been peer reviewed yet or published in any journal.

That being said, other studies that were published earlier in 2024 have also found “pervasive” amounts of microplastics in the testicles of dogs and humans, as well as in a huge variety of meats.

In a statement released earlier this year, the Ocean Conservancy’s associate director of plastics science, Dr. Britta Baechler, said:

“There’s no escaping them no matter what you eat, it seems. The plastic pollution crisis is impacting all of us, and we need to take action to address its many forms.”

There is still much debate over how much plastic people ingest and inhale. Some of the factors that play a role in determining this include a person’s location as well as what they eat and drink.

The World Wildlife Fund said in 2019 that the average human consumes roughly five grams of plastic every week just from what they drink and eat.