10 Aug 2023 --- In a pilot study of people who underwent heart surgery, researchers in American Chemical Society’s (ACS) Environmental Science & Technology have found microplastics in heart tissues. The scientists also report evidence suggesting that microplastics were unexpectedly introduced during surgery procedures. Microplastics are plastic fragments less than five millimeters wide. Previous research has shown that they are present in human blood and brain and are ubiquitous in the environment. Yet, many organs and tissues are fully enclosed inside a person’s body, and scientists lack information on their potential exposure to, and effects from, microplastics.
