Post by UCL Faculty of Medical Sciences

Microplastics have been mapped deep within the tissue of living organisms in fine detail for the first time, in a new study led by UCL researchers. Published in Advanced Science Wiley, the study shows how non-invasive photoacoustic imaging can detect and track common plastics. Researchers from UCL, Kingston University and the University of Birmingham detected common microplastics such as polypropylene (used in food containers and coffee cups) and polyethylene (used in single-use plastic bags). Study lead, Dr P. Stephen Patrick (UCL Division of Medicine) said: “Everyone on earth is exposed to microplastics – they are found everywhere: in our food, drink, clothing and home furnishings. “We expect our new approach to detecting microplastics will open up new avenues of research into where these particles accumulate in the body, how long they persist, and whether they contribute to diseases affecting the brain, blood vessels and other organs.” https://lnkd.in/eAX3Uayf UCL Centre for Advanced Biomedical Imaging Mark Lythgoe