Questions are being raised about microplastics studies – here’s what’s solid science and what isn’t

By Michael Richardson, Professor of Animal Development, Leiden University
Le Yang, PhD Candidate, Biological Effects of Nanomaterials, Leiden University

Over the past few years, studies have suggested that plastic particles from bottles, food packaging and waste have been detected in human blood, lungs, placentas, arteries and even the brain. But a recent investigation by the Guardian suggests that some of these claims may be less robust than they first appeared.

The idea that tiny fragments of plastic might be accumulating in human bodies is unsettling. This concern stems largely from evidence that nanoplastics – the very smallest plastic fragments –…

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