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☆ Microplastics discovered in human penises for the first time
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-19 | by ( Jack Guy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —Scientists have found microplastics in human penises for the first time, as concerns over the tiny particles’ proliferation and potential health effects mount. Microplastics are polymer fragments that can range from less than 0.2 inch (5 millimeters) down to 1/25,000th of an inch (1 micrometer). Ramasamy said he wasn’t surprised to find microplastics in the penis, as it is a “very vascular organ,” like the heart. Seven different types of microplastics were detected, with polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polypropylene (PP) the most prevalent, according to the study. “We need to identify whether microplastics are linked to ED and if there is a level beyond which it causes pathology and what types of microplastics are pathologic,” he said.

Persons: Ranjith Ramasamy, Ramasamy, wasn’t, ”, ” Ramasamy, Toxicologist Matthew J, Campen, ” Campen, Leonardo Trasande, don’t, Trasande Organizations: CNN —, University of Miami, CNN, University of New, “ Plastics, NYU Langone Health, American Academy of Pediatrics Locations: University of New Mexico, Albuquerque

☆ Microplastics found in penis muscle for the first time. It could be linked to erectile dysfunction.
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-19 | by ( Hilary Brueck | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

"Penis being such a vascular organ, similar to the heart, we said, 'Hey, could this also be present in the penis?'" What he's found, while still preliminary, is that microplastics are present in some penises experiencing erectile dysfunction (ED). Ramasamy wanted to know whether microplastics might physically impact penis muscle function. The most abundant plastic in the penises was polyethylene terephthalate, or PET, a common plastic used in food packaging including plastic bottles and takeout containers. He's not getting a lot of the takeout that often comes in plastic-lined containers, and he's not drinking from plastic-lined coffee cups or plastic water bottles very often.

Persons: —, Ranjith Ramasamy's, he's, Peter Dazeley, microplastics, It's, Ramasamy, He's, it's, Carol Yepes, Richard Pilsner Organizations: Service, Business, International, University of New, Wayne State University Locations: Miami, University of New Mexico

☆ Tiny plastic shards found in human testicles, study says
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-21 | by ( Sandee Lamotte | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —Human testicles contain microplastics and nanoplastics at levels three times higher than animal testes and human placentas, a new small study found. “They look like little shards, tiny broken bits from very, very old plastics,” said Campen, a regents’ professor of pharmaceutical sciences at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque. Researchers expected to find more plastic shards in the testicles of older men in the study, but that wasn’t the case, Campen said. “In testes, the levels of plastic was three times as much as we saw in placentas,” Campen said. In studies of pregnant mice, researchers have found plastic chemicals in the brain, heart, liver, kidney and lungs of the developing fetus 24 hours after the pregnant mother ingested or breathed in plastic particles.

Persons: ”, Matthew Campen, Campen, ” Campen, “ We’re, Adrienne Bresnahan, Kimberly Wise White, Leonardo Trasande, don’t, Trasande Organizations: CNN, micron, Sciences, University of New, Endocrine Society, Getty, American Chemistry Council, placentas, American Academy of Pediatrics, NYU Langone Health, Natural Resources Defense Council, Invest Locations: University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, United States, placentas, Beijing

☆ Explainer: What are the health risks from wildfire smoke?
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-07 | by ( Nancy Lapid | Thomson Reuters | Nancy Has Been A Health News Editor At Reuters For More Than A Decade. Previously She Was A Writer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

More toxic than normal air pollution, wildfire smoke can linger in the air for weeks and travel hundreds of miles. Along with particles of soil and biological materials, wildfire smoke often contains traces of chemicals, metals, plastics and other synthetic materials. New data from California also show an increase in fungal infections in the months following wildfire smoke exposure, likely due to fungal spores in the smoke. But the health effects of wildfire smoke exposure over multiple seasons are not yet clear. Doug Brugge, who chairs the Department of Public Health Sciences at UConn School of Medicine, said wildfire smoke can be deadly.

Persons: Kent Pinkerton, Davis, Keith Bein, Doug Brugge, Nancy Lapid, Bill Berkrot Organizations: Center for Health, University of California, UC, Davis . Studies, Environment, UC Davis, U.S . Environmental Protection Agency, of Public Health Sciences, UConn School of Medicine, Thomson Locations: United States, Canada, New York City, California, U.S

☆ Plastics Export: How I Keep My Family, Baby Safe From Toxic Microplastics.
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-25 | by ( Adrienne Matei | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

Hardman does research on microplastics — tiny pieces of plastic debris that are broken down from larger plastic items. Microplastics are often too small to pick up or even notice, but they are everywhere: in the air, dust, and rain. Laura HardmanPlastic is a relatively new pollutant, so there's still a lot we don't know about it. In the lab, my team of researchers and I focus on the sources, effects, and fate of plastics in the ocean. The simple answer is we don't know what plastics might be doing to us, but I've started to get really concerned.

Tiny fragments of plastic have been found in blood samples, stools and placentas of unborn babies, recent studies have shown. Scientists are trying to understand the health risks of this new phenomenon, but concerns range from the impact on organs to how some plastic additives might disrupt hormonal systems. Jodie Roussell, public affairs lead for packaging and sustainability at Swiss consumer goods giant Nestle (NESN.S), told the panel she hoped the treaty would help establish global quality controls for plastic, especially recycled plastic. Roussell said in lieu of such standards, Nestle has established its own quality controls and a black list for certain materials. International standards would help with "levelling the playing field and ensuring a fair distribution of responsibility across the value chain," Roussell said.

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