The discovery of microplastics in human testicles has raised significant concerns.

Keywords: Testicles, Human Body, Polyethylene, Microplastics in Testicles, Microplastics, Microplastics in Water

Highlights:

  • Microplastics have been identified in the testicles and semen of humans.
  • The concentration of Microplastics in the testis was substantially greater compared to that in semen.
  • The main plastics found in the testis and semen were polyethylene, polystyrene, and polyvinyl chloride.
  • Microscopic particles ranging from 20 to 100 μm were found to be the most abundant in the testis, whereas larger particles were observed in sperm.

The widespread presence of microplastics and nanoplastics gives rise to anticipates regarding their possible effects on the human male reproductive organs.

The investigation, carried out by scientists at the University of New Mexico in the United States, entailed examining 23 human and 47 dog testicles. The article was published in the Toxicological Sciences journal on May 15.

Xiaozhong Yu, a researcher and author of the study and a professor at the University of New Mexico, expressed his astonishment at the results.

Due to the fact that the human testicles had been stored, it was not possible to determine the number of sperm in them. The sperm count in the testes of the dogs, on the other hand, was able to be evaluated and was shown to be lower in samples that included a higher level of PVC contamination. This study provides evidence of a correlation; nevertheless, additional research is required to establish that microplastics are responsible for the decrease in sperm counts.

Microplastics have poisoned the entire earth, from the highest point of Mount Everest to the deepest oceans, and enormous volumes of debris made of plastic are being dumped into the ecosystem. In addition to breathing them in, it is known that people consume the minute particles through the consumption of food and water.

Particles could become embedded in tissue and induce inflammation, similar to the way that particles of air pollution do. Alternatively, the chemicals contained in the plastics could be harmful. Following the discovery in March that individuals whose blood arteries were contaminated by microscopic plastics had a significantly increased risk of having a stroke, a coronary artery disease, and an earlier death, medical professionals issued a warning about the dangers that might possibly be fatal.

“At the initial stages, I questioned whether microplastics might get into the male reproductive system,” said Professor Xiaozhong Yu. I was shocked once I initially got the dog findings. My disbelief upon learning the human outcomes was much greater.

The males whose ages ranged from 16 to 88 at the time of their deaths provided the testes that were examined from postmortems in 2016. With more plastic than ever in the environment, Yu said, “the impact on the younger generation might be more concerning.”

The work was written up in the journal Toxicological Sciences and involves dissolving the tissue samples and then examining the plastic that was left. Testes for the pups came from veterinarian clinics that performed neutering procedures.

At 330 microgrammes per gramme of tissue as opposed to 123 microgrammes in the canine testes, the plastic concentration in the human testicles was nearly three times more. Following PVC as the most often discovered microplastic was polyethylene, which is used in plastic bottles and bags.

Researchers also note that PVC contains substances that disturb endocrine systems and can release a large number of compounds that impede spermatogenesis.

The New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator has regularly collected the human testes, which were made available after a seven-year storage period, after which the samples are typically thrown away.

A 2023 similar investigation in China also discovered microplastics in 30 semen samples and six human testes. Microplastics have been linked in recent mouse studies to abnormalities, hormone disturbances, and a decrease in sperm counts.

References

1. https://academic.oup.com/toxsci/advance-articleabstract/doi/10.1093/toxsci/kfae060/7673133

2. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0048969723013293

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