A team of public health researchers from multiple institutions in China has discovered microplastics in every semen sample they tested. The study, published in the journal Science of the Total Environment, analyzed semen samples from 36 healthy adult men.
Previous research has established that microplastics are pervasive, found on mountaintops, remote islands, in the atmosphere, and deep in the oceans. They have also been detected in every human organ.
Recent findings indicate that the average person consumes plastic equivalent to a credit card each week. Plastics can enter the body through various means, such as drinking from plastic bottles, inhaling air particulates, or eating food heated in plastic containers. Researchers highlight that avoiding microplastic ingestion is nearly impossible.
While the health impacts remain uncertain, many scientists suspect that microplastic ingestion may contribute to inflammatory diseases.
In this study, the research team explored whether ingested microplastics could be linked to the global decline in fertility rates. They recruited 36 healthy adult males from Jinan, eastern China, who did not work in the plastics industry. Each participant provided a semen sample for testing.
The samples were mixed with a chemical solution and filtered for analysis under a microscope. Microplastics were found in every sample, with eight types of plastics identified. Polystyrene, commonly used in packaging foam, was the most prevalent.
The researchers also observed lower sperm motility in semen samples containing polyvinyl chloride plastic bits, a finding that may shed light on declining fertility rates.
