Summary
Microplastics—tiny plastic fragments less than five millimeters in size—are increasingly recognized as environmental contaminants that can enter living organisms, including humans. This study analyzed six placentas from healthy pregnancies using Raman microspectroscopy to determine whether microplastics could cross into this critical organ. Researchers detected 12 microplastic particles, all between 5 and 10 micrometers, in four of the six placentas, finding them distributed across the fetal side, the maternal side, and the chorioamniotic membranes. The particles varied in shape, appearing spherical or irregular, and all were pigmented. Three particles were identified as pigmented polypropylene, a common thermoplastic, while the remaining nine could not be matched to a specific polymer but contained pigments widely used in paints, coatings, adhesives, plasters, cosmetics, and other man-made products. These findings provide early evidence that microplastics can reach the human placenta, raising important questions about how they enter maternal–fetal tissues and what implications they may have for pregnancy and fetal development.
PMID: 33395930
DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2020.106274
Abstract
Microplastics are particles smaller than five millimeters deriving from the degradation of plastic objects present in the environment. Microplastics can move from the environment to living organisms, including mammals. In this study, six human placentas, collected from consenting women with physiological pregnancies, were analyzed by Raman Microspectroscopy to evaluate the presence of microplastics. In total, 12 microplastic fragments (ranging from 5 to 10 μm in size), with spheric or irregular shape were found in 4 placentas (5 in the fetal side, 4 in the maternal side and 3 in the chorioamniotic membranes); all microplastics particles were characterized in terms of morphology and chemical composition. All of them were pigmented; three were identified as stained polypropylene a thermoplastic polymer, while for the other nine it was possible to identify only the pigments, which were all used for man-made coatings, paints, adhesives, plasters, finger paints, polymers and cosmetics and personal care products.
Ragusa A, Svelato A, Santacroce C, Catalano P, Notarstefano V, Carnevali O, Papa F, Rongioletti MCA, Baiocco F, Draghi S, D'Amore E, Rinaldo D, Matta M, Giorgini E. Plasticenta: First evidence of microplastics in human placenta. Environ Int. 2021 Jan;146:106274. doi: 10.1016/j.envint.2020.106274. Epub 2020 Dec 2. PMID: 33395930.