For a long time, plastic waste scattered in the environment has gradually decomposed under the action of weathering, eventually forming fine particles that are difficult to detect with the naked eye, and have widely penetrated into nature and human tissues. A new study has sounded the alarm on this environmental issue: Researchers have found that the presence of microplastics and nanoplastics (MNPs) in human blood may be associated with an increased risk of heart attacks.
The study was led by a team from the University Hospital of Sant'Andrea and the University of Campania in Italy and was published in the European Heart Journal. The researchers selected 61 volunteers who underwent invasive coronary angiography for suspected coronary artery disease as samples and conducted an in-depth analysis of the distribution of micro-nano plastics in their bodies. The results showed that micro- and nanoplastics were detected in 84% of samples from patients diagnosed with heart attacks, compared with 40% of patients with chronic coronary artery stenosis and only 32% of those with healthy coronary arteries.
Although the study is currently unable to directly prove that microplastics are a direct cause of heart attacks, the research team clearly points out that this finding reveals a strong correlation between environmental exposure, microplastic levels in the blood, and cardiovascular disease. Emmanuel Barbato, director of the Department of Cardiology at San Andreas University Hospital and lead author of the study, said that this conclusion not only verifies previous research speculations, but also provides a new perspective on the prevention of cardiovascular disease.
The study further observed that lifestyle and environmental factors have a significant impact on the accumulation of microplastics in the human body. The data showed that among all subjects, those who were smokers or those who lived in highly polluted areas had micro-nano plastics detected in their blood; while for subjects who neither smoked nor were in a polluted environment, the proportion was only 12.5%.
In fact, over the past few years, micro and nanoplastics have become so invasive that scientists have found traces of these synthetic polymers in human lungs, brains, hearts and even the placenta. Experts point out that theoretically, these foreign particles continue to rub against cells in the body and can easily induce various inflammatory reactions. The petrochemical chemicals they carry may also interfere with the body's fragile biochemical processes.
Currently, cardiovascular disease remains one of the leading causes of death worldwide. The researchers emphasized that although the mechanism of how microplastics specifically damage the human cardiovascular system is still in the exploratory stage, as global plastic pollution continues to accumulate, this "invisible killer" may become a major public health challenge that future generations must face together. There is an urgent need for more in-depth research to accurately characterize these nanoparticles through standardized methods and distinguish them from other contaminants attached to the particles, so as to more scientifically assess their long-term threat to human health.