US EditionScientists Raise Doubts over Microplastics Studies
Researchers worldwide question microplastics detection methods in human tissues, citing contamination and unreliable techniques, with an International Science Council review covering 7,000 studies.
- On Jan. 13, The Guardian reported that researchers had publicly challenged a handful of prominent microplastics studies, singling out seven papers in a report not based on new experiments.
- A Nature Medicine letter argued microplastics and nanoplastics studies lacked validation and control 'blanks', raising contamination and measurement concerns at molecular scales.
- The study's defenders noted the brain study's co-authors acknowledged fatty molecules could confound results but defended their findings' size, while Dr Matthew Campen reported new evidence at a recent conference.
- Experts recommended that researchers and policymakers caution against overstated evidence, which could mislead the public and fuel alarm, urging measured responses instead of panic, according to the NRDC.
- The International Science Council review found 7,000 studies on microplastics, while new methods from the Medical University of Vienna promise better detection but consensus may take years.
27 Articles
27 Articles
We have to stop freaking out about every new microplastics study
Ahhh! An evil black spatula! You’ve probably heard microplastics are everywhere — in our brains, in our hearts, in possibly every single man on earth’s testicles. Studies published in major medical journals have reported that microplastics are plentiful in seemingly every inch of the human body and they have attracted widespread media attention. Most of us have gotten the message loud and clear: These manmade materials can’t be good for us, and…
Scientists cast doubt on claims microplastics found in humans after ‘joke’ studies dismissed for overlooking basics
Studies detecting the presence of microplastics throughout the human body were most likely found in error, a leading group of scientists has claimed.
Researchers make 'bombshell' claim over disturbing discoveries made in the human body: 'Forcing us to re-evaluate everything'
Several researchers and interested parties have raised doubts about published, peer-reviewed studies on the impact of microplastics on human health, the Guardian reported. What's happening? It's often said that "microplastics" are "everywhere," and "everywhere" certainly includes the news cycle. Studies about the environmental and biological impacts of microplastic exposure appeared at a rapid clip after they were first identified in 2004, all p…
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