ISLAMABAD: Researchers in the United States have found that tiny plastic particles, known as microplastics, may block blood vessels and increase the risk of heart attacks and as well as strokes.
Microplastics have become global pollutants and are now present in foods, waters, air, and even human bodies. A study from the University of California tried to figure out whether they could be of a danger to the heart.
In order to figure this out, scientists performed controlled experiments on male and female mice. Both males and females were given low-fat diets. Besides, small quantities of microplastics were administered daily to these animals for nine weeks.
The experiment results showed a clear difference between males and females.
The arteries leading to the hearts of male mice exposed to microplastics had 63% more fatty material than those of control animals. The researchers found an even more remarkable increase in another artery of the upper chest a 624% higher accumulation of such material area.
On the other hand, female mice were not found to be significantly affected as far as arterial deposits were concerned.
It is quite surprising that the research did not find any increase in body weight or cholesterol levels. This may indicate that microplastics are capable of damaging arteries via different mechanisms which are not related to obesity or high cholesterol.
The researchers also found the very material that was used for the experiment inside the plaque of the arteries, thus proving that the particles were directly in the buildup. They figured out that the genetic change is a result of the interaction between the exposed cells and plastic particles, and this could be the reason for the development of cardiovascular diseases.
This is strong evidence that microplastics can be a direct cause of heart diseases. The researchers wrote in their paper that the males could be more susceptible to the risk than females although the reason for the protective effect in females is not known yet.
As the problem of microplastic pollution is becoming more and more severe worldwide, researchers want to repeat this experiment with humans to find out health implications more clearly.
The research was reported in the journal Environmental International.
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