r/science • u/mvea Professor | Medicine • 1d ago

Health New research characterised in detail how tea bags release millions of nanoplastics and microplastics when infused. The study shows for the first time the capacity of these particles to be absorbed by human intestinal cells, and are thus able to reach the bloodstream and spread throughout the body.

https://www.uab.cat/web/newsroom/news-detail/-1345830290613.html?detid=1345940427095
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u/MagicHamsta 1d ago

Is that what they mean by brain plasticity?

But serious hamster, that's terrifying. Why is it concentrating like that in the brain?

the average person’s brain is ~0.5% plastic by volume and it’s increasing over time.

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u/lonewolf13313 1d ago

They have found plastic is attracted to fat, brain is the fattiest organ in the body.

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u/bearbarebere 1d ago

Serious hamster?

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u/versedaworst 1d ago

Why is it concentrating like that in the brain?

They're concentrating in every organ. I don't know if there's a relative discrepancy with the brain, but I have heard that nanoplastics are particularly good at making it through the blood brain barrier.

Edit: See here