Microplastics in Human Blood: Are We Eating the Future?
- Tanisha Dharmik
- Jul 16, 2025
- 4 min read
Updated: Jul 17, 2025
Introduction
Chances are, you already know that littering plastic is bad for the environment,
especially for sea animals and the marine ecosystems. While that’s completely
true, have you ever considered how it could impact our body? A 2022 study
shows that microplastics were identified in the human bloodstream for the first
time; specifically, they found it in almost 80% of people tested.
These particles are small enough to pass harmlessly through the bloodstream
and other organs. But how can this affect someone in the long run? What
research has been conducted about this issue?
What are Microplastics?
Microplastics in Human Blood: Are We Eating the Future?
Microplastics are minuscule plastic fragments that are less than 5 millimeters, or
less than ⅕ of an inch. They come from numerous ways, some coming from
larger debris that gradually degrades into smaller and smaller pieces, or from
single-use plastic such as plastic water bottles and plastic bags. An example of a
microplastic is microbeads, which are very tiny pieces of manufactured
polyethylene plastic added as exfoliants to health and beauty products, such as
certain cleansers and toothpastes.
Microplastics can be found everywhere. They’re present in the air, water, soil,
and even in the food chain. According to the United Nations Environment
Programme, plastic microbeads first appeared in personal care products about
fifty years ago, and they continue to replace natural ingredients in these
products. This issue only escalated, leading to the problem we have today:
microplastics present in human bodies. How can this circumstance affect the
human body and society?
How Does it Get Into the Body?
They can enter the human body in numerous ways. The most common being
through food and inhalation. Microplastics can contaminate food in ways such as
the contamination of soil, water, and even through agricultural practices. This
ends up with the crops being contaminated with these tiny plastics. When eaten
by humans, the particles also travel down the digestive system, and don’t get
digested. Usually, they end up coming out in the form of waste, but if they’re
small enough (less than 1 millimeter), they can pass through the bloodstream.
When you breathe in air, chances are that it’s already contaminated with these
particles. Several studies have shown that there are different MPs concentrations
both indoor and outdoor air. Both outdoor and indoor air represent a relatively
neglected but significant pathway for human plastic exposure and further studies
should be carried out to understand their implications to human health.
Lastly, microplastics can potentially enter through small cuts on the skin (dermal
contact). This is less likely to happen, and far less common than the points
mentioned above, but it can definitely happen. Products like sunscreen and cosmetics may have these plastic particles, and can enter the body via hair
follicles, and sweat glands.
We’ve talked about the different ways that microplastics can enter the body, but
what are the health effects that are caused by these particles? How can it affect
someone in the long-run?
How Can This Affect the Human Body?
Microplastics have been shown to potentially cause harm to humans. One effect
of microplastics in the bloodstream is the obstruction of blood vessels.
Microplastics can be consumed by certain immune cells called phagocytes, and
this in turn allows them to obstruct the blood vessels, causing profound harm in
the body.
Another risk is the increased risk of developing cardiovascular diseases and
strokes. A study conducted by Harvard shows that when the researchers tested
the plaque removed from the neck arteries of 257 people, they found tiny
particles of plastic — mostly polyethylene but also polyvinyl chloride — in 58% of
the people. Almost three years later, the rate of heart attack, stroke, and death
was 4.5 times higher in people with microplastics in their plaque than those
without.
Microplastics can induce neurological effects. A recent study studied the image
of brain blood vessels. They discovered microplastics in the cerebral blood
vessels, and the cell obstruction depended on the size of the microplastics. The
bigger sizes resulted in the worst effects, whereas the smaller sizes were less
drastic. This can lead to a condition called cerebral thrombosis, a rare condition
where a blood clot forms in a vein within the brain, obstructing blood flow and
potentially leading to stroke.
More research is needed to find out the full extent of what microplastics can do to
the body. As of now, the effects of these particles are mostly negative and
outright dangerous. While microplastics are nearly unavoidable, given the current
circumstances of air and land pollution, there are multiple ways to reduce the
amount of particles in the body.
Ways to Reduce Microplastics
Fortunately, there are ways to reduce the amount of microplastics around us.
One of them, is to reduce the intake of bottled water. Chances are that
microplastics have already contaminated the water, due to the plastic in the
bottle itself. Drinking bottled water can add around six times more microplastics
in your system compared to just tap water. This isn’t just limited to bottles; it can
include plastic cups, bowls, and even utensils.
Another way is to avoid extreme temperatures with plastic containers. Plastic can
melt, if hot enough. Multiple studies have shown that microwaving and heating
plastic helps release significant amounts of microplastics in our food and drinks.
These numbers range from millions of microplastics to billions of nanoplastics.
Lastly, you can reduce the microplastics by simply cleaning your house more.
Things like vacuuming, dusting the couch, curtains, carpet, etc, have been shown
to reduce the exposure of these particles. By keeping your environment clean,
you will be able to lessen the presence of microplastics.
Final Thoughts
Microplastics are inevitable in today’s world; the mass production of plastic have
simply made it nearly impossible to get rid of all of them. But we can still put in
the effort to shrink the impact of these tiny particles, and the risk of these
particles entering the body and causing irreparable harm. Reducing plastic
consumption, keeping things neat and clean in the household and avoiding
littering, is the key to less plastic in the environment, and to staying healthy.
Sources:
Carrington, D. (2022, March 24). Microplastics found in human blood for first
time. The Guardian.
human-blood-for-first-time
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. (2024, June 16). What are
microplastics? Noaa.gov; National Ocean Service.
Corliss, J. (2024, June 1). Microplastics in arteries linked to heart disease risk.
Harvard Health. https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/microplastics-in-
arteries-linked-to-heart-disease-risk
Balbuena, N. (2025, March 27). 5 Ways to Avoid Eating and Drinking
Microplastics. Food & Water Watch.
drinking-microplastics/
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