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6d ago

Scientists Unveil Forensic-Style Standards to Verify Microplastics in Human Tissues

The framework seeks to reduce false positives through multi‑technique testing, strict controls, open data.

There is no doubt that microplastics are ubiquitous throughout the environment
An image of crushed up plastic recycling.
Microplastics are everywhere, but there is not enough evidence to say whether they are harmful for our health
Scientists have been battling over exactly how much microplastics we have inside us

Overview

  • An international group of 30 researchers from 20 institutions, led by the University of Queensland and Imperial College London, published the guidance on January 27 in Environment & Health.
  • The proposal recommends confirming findings with multiple complementary methods, adopting rigorous quality-control procedures, and using shared evidential language to state confidence in detections.
  • The authors warn that common lab techniques can misidentify biological materials as plastics and that samples are vulnerable to contamination from air, clothing, equipment, containers and reagents.
  • The framework directly answers criticisms of high-profile human tissue studies, including concerns that pyrolysis‑GC‑MS can confuse fats with polyethylene and that some reported signals may reflect contamination.
  • Researchers stress that microplastics are widespread in the environment and likely ingested or inhaled, yet evidence for specific health harms remains insufficient, underscoring the need for transparent data and reproducible methods.