In a startling revelation, scientists have detected microplastics in human testicles. Researchers from the University of New Mexico analyzed testicular tissues from humans and dogs and found microplastics in all samples. The quantity of microplastics in humans was three times higher than in dogs. During the study, scientists discovered an average of 329.44 micrograms of microplastics per gram of tissue in humans and 122.63 micrograms in dogs. The study highlighted the extent of plastic pollution infiltrating our bodies and raised concerns about its potential impact on male fertility.
The researchers identified 12 types of microplastics, with polyethylene (PE) being the most common in both humans and dogs
Environmental health scientist Xiaozhong Yu from the University of New Mexico told Science Alert, “At the beginning, I doubted whether microplastics could penetrate the reproductive system. When I first received the results for dogs, I was surprised. I was even more surprised when I received the results for humans.”
The researchers identified 12 types of microplastics, with polyethylene (PE) being the most common in both humans and dogs. Polyethylene is commonly used in producing plastic bottles and bags. Although the researchers did not test human tissue for sperm count, they did examine canine samples.
In the dog samples, higher levels of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic were linked to a reduced sperm count. The discovery suggests that plastics may contribute to the global decline in sperm count. “The plastic makes a difference – what type of plastic might be correlated with potential function,” Yu said. “PVC can release a lot of chemicals that interfere with spermatogenesis and it contains chemicals that cause endocrine disruption,” he added. The researchers aim to compare canine and human testes due to the biological similarities between the two species. “We don’t want to scare people. We want to scientifically provide the data and make people aware there are a lot of microplastics,” Yu said. “We can make our own choices to better avoid exposures, change our lifestyle, and change our behavior,” he added.