Cancer-causing microplastics appear in men's testicles

Microplastics have been found in Mount Everest, the deep Mariana Trench of the Pacific Ocean and now in men's testicular tissue. Recent research shows that microplastics may be one of the causes of reduced sperm quality.

From plastic bags and plastic bottles to water sources and even the air, people are daily faced with the risk of being contaminated with microplastics - a potential cause of cancer and reproductive problems. Research by scientists at the University of New Mexico (USA) found 12 types of microplastics in all 23 testicular samples of men. Among them, the most common type is polyethylene - a polymer used in plastic bags and plastic bottles.

Scientists suspect that microplastics cause sperm quality to decline. (Illustration).

The average concentration of microplastics was found to be 329.44 micrograms/gram of tissue - much higher than recent studies on human blood (only a few dozen micrograms/gram). This result surprised Dr. Xiaozhong John Yu - the main author of the study: "When I first received the results of the study in dogs, I was very surprised. But I was even more surprised when I received it. results of human studies" .

This study , published in the journal Toxicological Sciences, stemmed from a question from Matthew Campen - Professor at the College of Pharmacy at the University of New Mexico - to Dr. fertility decline again? There must be something new . " Previously, Professor Campen found alarming concentrations of microplastics in human placenta.

What's more worrying, research on male dog testicle samples shows that the volume of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic - a type of plastic often used in pipes - is proportional to the decrease in sperm count. Although it is not possible to determine the number of sperm in humans due to limitations in preservation methods, Dr. Yu is concerned that: " PVC can release a lot of chemicals that hinder spermatogenesis and contains chemicals endocrine disruptors " .

Medical experts have been worried about declining sperm counts in men for many years. A November 2022 study in the journal Human Reproduction Update – a compilation of data from men in 53 countries – found that average sperm count plummeted 51.6% between 1973 and 2018 in Global. A 2022 report also warned that the decline in sperm counts in men is a global crisis that "could threaten the survival of the human race".

Despite concerns about the risks of microplastics, Dr. Yu remains cautious: "We have a lot of unknowns. We need to really look at the potential long-term impact that could occur. Will microplastics Is plastic one of the factors contributing to this decline?