Half of the samples contained PET plastic, which is commonly used in drinks bottles, a third contained polystyrene, used for packaging food and other products, a quarter of the blood samples contained polyethylene, from which plastic carrier bags are made.
The impact of microplastics on the human health is still unclear, but it is concerning that the particles can be transported throughout the body and may lodge in organs.
Researchers state that further studies are needed, e.g. with bigger sample sizes, increasing the number of polymers assessed, etc.
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