Microplastics found in all human testicles in study | louder.news

Microplastics have been found in human testicles, and researchers say the discovery could be linked to declining sperm counts in men.
The scientists tested 23 human testicles, as well as 47 pet dog testicles. They found microplastic contamination in every sample.

The human testes had been preserved and therefore their sperm count could not be measured. However, sperm counts could be assessed in the testes of the dogs and were lower in samples with higher PVC contamination. The study shows a correlation, but more research is needed to show that microplastics cause sperm counts to drop.

Sperm counts in men have been declining for decades, with chemical pollution such as pesticides implicated by many studies. Microplastics have also recently been discovered in human blood, placentas and breast milk, indicating widespread contamination of people's bodies. The health impact is still unknown, but microplastics have been shown to cause damage to human cells in the laboratory.

Large amounts of plastic waste are dumped into the environment, and microplastics have polluted the entire planet, from the top of Mount Everest to the deepest oceans. People are known to consume the tiny particles through food and water, as well as inhale them.