Microplastics reach the farthest reaches of our planet, but also into our bodies. We found their archeological remains and in the blood People, in closed caves and in milk The mother is now also in the testicles.
Gonad microplastics. A new study encountered with presence Microplastics When analyzing human testes. In addition to being indicative of the increasing presence of these residues in various aspects of our lives, those responsible believe that this fact may be related to a general decrease in sperm count.
Not just people. The analysis was not only done on humans, Also in canine testes Coming from animals that have been recently castrated. Unlike human testicles, these come from dead people.
“At first I suspected that microplastics could enter the reproductive system,” admitted in a press release Xiaozhong Yu, co-author of the study. “I was surprised when I got the dog results. I was even more surprised when I got them from people.”
Polyethylene and PVC. The team found microplastics in every sample, although concentrations were higher in human organs. Specifically, human testicles They include an average 329 micrograms of plastic per gram of tissue, while canines have 123 micrograms per gram.
Analysis was also indicated The most common plastic: Polyethylene and Polyvinyl Chloride or PVC.
This is not the first study to find evidence of the presence of microplastics in the male genitalia. In 2023, a small-scale study conducted in China already found evidence of the presence of these pollutants.
Dissolve the tissue. The team examined 23 human samples and 47 dog samples, the first from people aged 16 to 88 who died in 2016.
they used A combined strategy called pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. This technique heats samples so that they dissolve so that their constituents can be analyzed.
It was within this residue that the team found plastic. study Recently published in the newspaper Toxicological Science.
Correlation or causation? The team suspects that this pollution may be another reason for the decline in sperm count in men. They were able to reverse a negative correlation between sperm count and the presence of microplastics in canine gonads, but the analysis could not be performed with human samples.
Uncertain, but potential damage. Nevertheless, the presence of PVC is an indication of this potential effect due to the effect of this plastic on our endocrine system.
Although we still know very little about the effects of microplastics on health, we have indications of harmful effects. For example, through laboratory tests that confirm damage at the cellular level. New research will be needed to verify whether these effects extend to fertility.
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Picture | Flydy / Joseph Rischig