Scientists discovered microplastics in human semen and follicular fluid скачать в хорошем качестве

Scientists discovered microplastics in human semen and follicular fluid

Scientists discovered microplastics in human semen and follicular fluid #scientists #discovered #microplastics Scientists have detected microplastics — the tiny and pervasive fragments now found in our seas, drinking water, food and, increasingly, living tissue — in human semen and follicular fluid, according to new research. A small group of 25 women and 18 men participated in the research, published Tuesday in the journal Human Reproduction. Microplastics were detected in 69% of the follicular fluid samples and 55% of the seminal fluid samples. Follicular fluid is the liquid that surrounds an egg in an ovarian follicle. The research is an abstract — a short summary of completed research — and has not yet been peer reviewed. It was presented Tuesday in Paris at the 41st Annual Meeting of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology. “Previous studies had already suggested this possibility, so the presence of microplastics in the human reproductive system is not entirely unexpected,” said lead research author Dr. Emilio Gómez-Sánchez, director of the assisted reproduction laboratory at Next Fertility Murcia in Spain, in a statement provided to the press. “What did surprise us, however, is how widespread it is. This is not an isolated finding — it appears to be quite common.” Microplastics are polymer fragments that range in size from less than 0.2 inches (5 millimeters) to 1/25,000th of an inch (1 micrometer). Polymers are chemical compounds with long chains of large and repetitive molecular units called monomers, and are known for being flexible and durable. Most plastics are synthetic polymers. Plastics smaller than the measurement criteria for microplastics are considered nanoplastics, which are measured in billionths of a meter. “Microplastics primarily enter the body through three routes: ingestion, inhalation, and skin contact,” Gómez-Sánchez said. “From there, they can enter the bloodstream, which then distributes them throughout the body, including to the reproductive organs.” In previous studies, the fragments have also been detected in various body parts or fluids including the lungs, placenta, brain, testicles, nose tissue at the base of the brain, penises and human stool. “Decades of studies and the (US Food and Drug Administration) agree that microplastics are not a threat because exposure is extremely low and they are non-toxic,” said Dr. Chris DeArmitt, founder of the Plastics Research Council, via email. However, while there is little to nothing known about the potential effects of microplastics on human health, chemicals used in plastic production — that often leach from plastics — are linked with health risks including hormonal disruptions, certain cancers, respiratory diseases and skin irritation. Testing bodily fluids for microplastics The research participants were patients and donors at Next Fertility Murcia. The women were undergoing egg retrieval, formally known as follicular aspiration, for assisted reproduction, while the men were undergoing semen analysis. The authors stored and froze the samples in glass, then incubated them for two days before analyzing them using an imaging technique combining microscopy and infrared laser. The research team also analyzed the containers used to collect and store samples to ensure they hadn’t been contaminated with microplastics. The abstract doesn’t disclose what materials the collection containers were made of. Imaging revealed nine types of microplastics in the reproductive fluids. Over 50% of the follicular fluid samples contained polyamide (PA), polyurethane (PU) and polyethylene (PE), while polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) were discovered in over 30% of the follicular fluid samples. Polypropylene (PP), polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and polylactic acid (PLA) appeared in over 20% of the follicular fluid samples.