A groundbreaking study reveals alarming levels of plastic particles in cardiovascular tissues, urging further research into potential long-term health implications.

Scientists have found microplastics in the human heart for the first time.

The alarming revelation was brought to light by researchers from Beijing Anzhen Hospital in China where heart tissue from 15 patients who underwent cardiovascular surgery were analysed.

The minute plastic particles, known as microplastics, are often seen in everyday items such as food packaging and paints.

Astonishingly, these particles, measuring less than 5 milimetres wide — akin to the size of a pencil eraser, have found a way into the human body, as per a study, recently published by the American Chemical Society.

They typically enter through the mouth, nose, and various other body cavities, the study noted.

The spearhead researchers, Doctors Kun Hua and Xiubin Yang, sought to determine if these tiny pollutants could infiltrate the human cardiovascular system, either through indirect or direct exposures.

To ensure a comprehensive study, heart tissue from all 15 patients was meticulously scrutinised, and blood samples from half of the participants were also analysed.

What they discovered was genuinely unsettling. They “detected tens to thousands of individual microplastic pieces in most tissue samples.” Moreover, every single blood sample contained traces of these plastics.

The research further identified nine distinct types of plastic present in five separate heart tissues. However, some microplastics might have been introduced to the subjects during the surgery.

On the other hand, specific plastics, like poly(methyl methacrylate) – a plastic predominantly employed as a safer alternative to glass, were present in different heart regions. The researchers firmly stated that the presence of these particles “cannot be attributed to accidental exposure during surgery.”

Additionally, other prevalent plastics such as polyethylene terephthalate, commonly seen in clothing and food containers, and polyvinyl chloride (PVC), a staple in window frames, paint, and drainage systems, were also detected.

“The detection of in vivo MPs [microplastics] is alarming, and further investigations are vital to discern how these particles infiltrate cardiac tissues and to understand the potential long-term implications after cardiac surgeries,” it stated.

Echoing this sentiment, a study from last year revealed that the average human could be ingesting roughly 5 grams of these plastic fragments weekly — an unsettling comparison being the weight of a credit card.

The study, conducted by the Medical University of Vienna, illustrated how plastics permeate the human food chain via packaging waste, subsequently entering our bodies through sources like sea salt, seafood, and even water.

Disturbingly, these microplastics have been previously linked to a plethora of metabolic diseases, including obesity, diabetes, and chronic liver ailments.