Scientists discovered microplastic in human penises
Recent studies have revealed that microplastics can be detected everywhere, ranging from human blood to human tissues, food, and even the human heart
In a shocking discovery, scientists have found the presence of microplastic in human penises for the first time. This revelation came a month after microplastic in human testicles was found, as per a study conducted by researchers at the University of New Mexico.
According to the report published in the IJIR: Your Sexual Medicine Journal on Wednesday, seven types of microplastics were found in the penile tissues of samples taken from six men
The detection of microplastics in penile tissue raises inquiries on the ramifications of environmental pollutants on sexual health,” the report stated.
Researchers from the University of Miami, the University of Colorado, and Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon in Germany discovered that among the seven types of microplastics, they found, the most common were polyethene terephthalate (PET) at 47.8% and polypropylene (PP) at 34.7%.
The sample penile tissues were tested using a technique known as Laser Direct Infrared (LDIR) microspectroscopy, which detects microplastics and measures their size and quantity.
Previous Studies on Microplastic in Human Organs
Ranjith Ramasamy, an expert in reproductive urology from the University of Miami who was leading the study, told CNN that he took reference from a previous study that found evidence of microplastic in the human heart.
He told CNN that the samples were collected from study participants diagnosed with erectile dysfunction (ED) who were in the hospital for penile implant surgery.
After the presence of microplastic was confirmed Ramasamy said, “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.”
Ramasamy instructed the people “to be mindful about consuming water and food from plastic bottles and containers and try and limit the use until more research is done to identify levels that could cause pathology.”
According to Britannica, microplastics are small pieces of plastic, less than 5 mm (0.2 inch) in length, that occur in the environment as a consequence of plastic pollution.
Recent studies have revealed that microplastics can be detected everywhere, ranging from human blood to human tissues, food, and even the human heart.
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