A new study found the average human brain may contain a spoonful of plastic.
Microplastics and nanoplastics have been found in various parts of the human body before this latest research. This new study, published Monday in the journal Nature Medicine, looked at the content of brain samples collected during autopsies from 2016 and 2024.
The researchers found that the brain samples from last year contained about 50% more microplastics than the samples from nearly a decade ago totaling up to about seven grams.
RELATED STORY | Concerning concentration of microplastics found in human testes, study finds
There was also an increase in the amount of microplastics found in liver and kidney samples used in the study, but not as much of an increase as the amount found in the brain matter that was tested.
The microplastics found in the brain tissue had a higher concentration of polyethylene — used in many products like bottles and films — than plastics that were found in livers or kidneys, the study also said.
Most of the microplastics found in the samples appeared to be "shards or flakes."
While it raises a red flag about the increasing amount of plastic in the human body, the researchers noted that it did not determine how the presence of these plastic particles directly impacts health.
RELATED STORY | Microplastics in human placentas raise fetal, maternal health concerns
