A research team from the Biotechnology Department at Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology, commonly known as DGIST, conducted a notable study on microplastics and their impact when ingested. The findings indicate that microplastics can travel through the bloodstream and reach vital organs such as the brain. This adds to a growing body of evidence showing microplastics appear in human blood, liver, and lungs as a result of environmental exposure.
Every year millions of tons of plastic waste enter the environment and are gradually broken down into microplastics by sunlight and seawater. These tiny fragments are then consumed by small organisms, including plankton, placing them high in the food chain until they ultimately reach humans through dietary intake.
The DGIST team carried out an experiment in which small amounts of microplastics were administered orally to mice over a seven day period to assess potential health effects. The researchers found that nanoplastic particles measuring about two millionths of a meter could cross the blood brain barrier, a protective shield that normally limits the entry of harmful substances into the brain. Prior to this, crossing the barrier by solid particles was considered uncommon.
Reduce cell proliferation
Further investigations revealed that microplastics accumulate within microglial cells, the immune-like cells of the brain that constitute roughly ten percent of the neural cell population. The study showed that fragments up to two micrograms in size collected in the cytoplasm of these cells and led to a noticeable decrease in cell proliferation after several hours of exposure. Scientists explained that microglial cells interpret microplastics as a threat, triggering processes like apoptosis or programmed cell death.
In mouse experiments, the observed reduction in cellular activity suggested that sustained accumulation of microplastics could drive brain cell death by acting as neurotoxic agents. The implication is that long term ingestion may provoke adverse immune and inflammatory responses within the brain.
Dr. Choi, the lead investigator in DGIST’s Department of Biotechnology, commented that the study demonstrates microplastics, particularly those two micrometers and smaller, begin to accumulate in brain tissue after seven days of exposure. This accumulation may be followed by apoptosis and shifts in immune response dynamics even with short term ingestion.
The project received support through a research grant associated with the Parliamentary Risk Assessment program, a major initiative of the DGIST Convergence Research Institute. The work was conducted in collaboration with the veterinary faculty at Kyungpook National University and involved the efforts of Jin Kyu Park and Jee Eun Han. The results appeared in a peer reviewed environmental science journal. A formal reference to the study is available in the academic record of the Total Environmental Science journal, with attribution to the researchers involved and their institutions.
Reference work: Total Environmental Science, a citation associated with the study, attributed to the listed researchers and institutions.