THURSDAY, June 20, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- Seven different kinds of microplastics have been discovered in human penises for the first time. The tiny fragments, formed when plastic products break down in the environment, were found in four of five samples of penis tissue, researchers reported Wednesday in These minuscule particles can infiltrate cells and tissues in major organs. Just last month, researchers reported that startling levels of And , lead author of the penis study, told that he used a previous study that found evidence of microplastics in the human heart as a basis for his research.
Ramasamy said he wasn’t surprised to find microplastics in the penis, as it is a “very vascular organ,” like the heart. The penis samples were taken from five patients who had been diagnosed with erectile dysfunction (ED) and were in the University of Miami's hospital to have penile implant surgery between August and September 2023. The samples were analyzed using chemical imaging, which revealed the presence of microplastics in four of the men.
Seven different types of microplastics were detected, with polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polypropylene (PP) being the most prevalent, researchers said. What now? “We need to identify whether microplastics are linked to ED and if there is a level beyond which it causes pathology and what types of microplastics are pathologic,” Ramasamy said. He added that he hoped the study would “create more awareness about the presence of .
