High levels of microplastics found in prostate tumors, possibly linked to take-out food

The presence of microplastics in prostate tumors points to potential health risks, and researchers are calling for urgent studies to explore how take-out food may be driving this exposure. Study: Identification and analysis of microplastics in para-tumor and tumor of human prostate . Image Credit: Kateryna Kon / Shutterstock In a recent study published in the journal eBioMedicine , researchers attempted to identify, characterize, and quantify microplastics (including their abundances and types) found in human prostate tissue.

They used scanning electron microscopy, laser direct infrared spectroscopy, and pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. They found the presence of three types of microplastics in both para-tumor and tumor tissue: polyamide, polyvinyl chloride, and polyethylene terephthalate. Additionally, polystyrene was detected in tumor- but not para-tumor tissue.

Abundance measures revealed between 181.0 μg/g and 290.3 μg/g of microplastics per unit tissue, with sizes ranging from 20 to 100 μm.

However, the study noted that microplastic particle sizes in tumor tissues tended to be larger (between 50 and 100 μm) compared to para-tumor samples, which predominantly had particles between 20 and 30 μm. The study highlights the strong positive correlation between take-out food consumption and polystyrene abundance, emphasizing the need for safer food packaging alternatives. Furthermore, the presence of microplastics in prostate tissue raises questions about the.