Microplastics used to make paint and food packaging have been discovered in human veins. New research indicates the tiny plastic particles can travel through blood vessels into vascular tissue - but scientists say it is unclear whether the finding has any health implications.
A team from the University of Hull and Hull York Medical School, with researchers from the Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, analysed human saphenous vein tissue taken from patients undergoing heart bypass surgery in a small pilot study. They found 15 microplastic particles per gram of vein tissue and five different polymer types in the tissue.
The most prominent included alkyd resin – found in synthetic paint, varnishes and enamels; polyvinyl acetate (PVAC) – an adhesive found in food packaging and nylon; and EVOH and EVA – used in flexible packaging materials.
