Human brain tissues analysed last year had much higher levels of tiny plastic particles than samples from 2016, according to research that shows the potential damage caused by so-called microplastics pollution.
A study of autopsies across eight years found that the plastics levels did not vary much with age, suggesting people may be able to expel the harmful material over time.
The research, published in Nature Medicine on Monday, both stokes concern about microplastics and suggests potential strategies to manage them. Microplastics, often the degraded product of consumer items such as food packaging, are seen as a growing environmental threat and have been associated with chronic conditions in a range of human organs.