Microplastics are a modern-day bane and they are everywhere. Now in an alarming revelation, scientists have found microplastics present in human penile tissue for the first time, raising crucial questions about the potential impact on male reproductive health, especially erectile dysfunction. This is not the first time microplastics have been found in private parts.
Earlier, a study found a “significant” concentration of microplastics in human testicles and semen. All this only adds to the growing body of evidence showing how pervasive these tiny plastics have become. The researchers published their latest “groundbreaking” findings in the International Journal of Impotence Research.
Here’s what we know about it The study The team of researchers first extracted tissue samples from six men who underwent surgery for a prosthesis related to erectile dysfunction at the University of Miami between August and September 2023. After analysing the samples using chemical imaging, scientists found microplastics in as many as five samples. “Seven types of microplastics were found in the penile tissue, with polyethylene terephthalate and polypropylene being the most prevalent,” the researchers said.
Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is widely used in food packaging such as plastic bottles and takeout containers whereas polypropylene is commonly found in plastic bottle caps. According to the study, the microplastics were as small as two micrometres - or two-thousandths of a mil.
