Microplastics found in human blood for first time
Microplastic pollution has been detected in human blood for the first time, with scientists finding the tiny particles in almost 80% of the people tested.
The discovery shows the particles can travel around the body and may lodge in organs. The impact on health is as yet unknown. But researchers are concerned as microplastics cause damage to human cells in the laboratory and air pollution particles are already known to enter the body and cause millions of early deaths a year.
Huge amounts of plastic waste are dumped in the environment and microplastics now contaminate the entire planet, from the summit of Mount Everest to the deepest oceans. People were already known to consume the tiny particles via food and water as well as breathing them in, and they have been found in the faeces of babies and adults.
The scientists analyzed blood samples from 22 anonymous donors, all healthy adults and found plastic particles in 17. Half the samples contained PET plastic, which is commonly used in drinks bottles, while a third contained polystyrene, used for packaging food and other products. A quarter of the blood samples contained polyethylene, from which plastic carrier bags are made.
“Our study is the first indication that we have polymer particles in our blood – it’s a breakthrough result,” said Prof Dick Vethaak, an ecotoxicologist at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam in the Netherlands. “But we have to extend the research and increase the sample sizes, the number of polymers assessed, etc.” Further studies by a number of groups are already under way, he said.
“It is certainly reasonable to be concerned,” Vethaak told the Guardian. “The particles are there and are transported throughout the body.” He said previous work had shown that microplastics were 10 times higher in the faeces of babies compared with adults and that babies fed with plastic bottles are swallowing millions of microplastic particles a day.
“We also know in general that babies and young children are more vulnerable to chemical and particle exposure,” he said. “That worries me a lot.”
The new research is published in the journal Environment International and adapted existing techniques to detect and analyze particles as small as 0.0007mm. Some of the blood samples contained two or three types of plastic. The team used steel syringe needles and glass tubes to avoid contamination, and tested for background levels of microplastics using blank samples.
Vethaak acknowledged that the amount and type of plastic varied considerably between the blood samples. “But this is a pioneering study,” he said, with more work now needed. He said the differences might reflect short-term exposure before the blood samples were taken, such as drinking from a plastic-lined coffee cup, or wearing a plastic face mask.
“The big question is what is happening in our body?” Vethaak said. “Are the particles retained in the body? Are they transported to certain organs, such as getting past the blood-brain barrier? And are these levels sufficiently high to trigger disease? We urgently need to fund further research so we can find out.”
The new research was funded by the Dutch National Organization for Health Research and Development and Common Seas, a social enterprise working to reduce plastic pollution.
A recent study found that microplastics can latch on to the outer membranes of red blood cells and may limit their ability to transport oxygen. The particles have also been found in the placentas of pregnant women, and in pregnant rats they pass rapidly through the lungs into the hearts, brains and other organs of the fetuses.
A new review paper published on Tuesday, co-authored by Vethaak, assessed cancer risk and concluded: “More detailed research on how micro- and nano-plastics affect the structures and processes of the human body, and whether and how they can transform cells and induce carcinogenesis, is urgently needed, particularly in light of the exponential increase in plastic production. The problem is becoming more urgent with each day.”
难点注释：
Microplastic, n
表示“微塑料，塑料微粒”，means“extremely small pieces of plastic that are harmful to the environment, used in cosmetics (= substances put on the face or body to improve appearance), or formed when plastic waste material breaks down”
Particle, n
表示“微粒，粒子”，means“an extremely small piece of matter”.如：An atom is the smallest indivisible particle of matter.原子是最小的不可分的物质微粒。
Lodge，v
1)表示“（被）固定，卡住”，means“to become fixed or stuck somewhere; to make sth become fixed or stuck somewhere”.如：
The bullet became lodged in her spine. 那颗子弹嵌在她的脊椎骨里。
2）表示“存放，保管”，means“to put something in a safe place”.如：
You can lodge the valuables in the bank.你可以把贵重物品存放在银行里。
3）表示“借宿，借住”，means“to pay rent to stay somewhere”.如：
They lodge tourist during summer holidays. 暑假期间他们给游客提供住宿。
Where we were to lodge was the problem . 我们在哪儿住宿曾是个问题。
4）表示“正式提出”,means “to place a statement”. 譬如lodge a complaint/protest/appeal 表示“进行投诉/提出抗议/提出上诉”，means：to make a formal or official complaint, protest etc. 如：We have to lodge a claim against you for inferior quality.我们不得不对你们的劣质产品提出索赔。
If you wish to lodge a complaint, you'd better get on to the manager.你有什么不满最好找经理提。
Dump, v
表示“抛弃；乱扔，乱丢”，means“to get rid of something unwanted, especially by leaving it in a place where it is not allowed to be”.如：
Sealed containers of nuclear waste have been dumped in the sea.盛有核废料的密封容器被丢在海里。
You'll be fined if you dump here.在这儿倒垃圾要被罚款的。
Contaminate, v
表示“污染；弄脏”，means“to make a substance or place dirty or no longer pure by adding a substance that is dangerous or carries disease”.如：
Contaminate your bed, and you will one night suffocate in your own waste.如果你弄脏了自己的环境，总有一天会窒息在你所丢弃的垃圾之中。
They are contaminating the minds of our young people with these subversive ideas.他们这些颠覆性的思想是对我们年轻人的精神污染。
Faeces, n
表示“粪便；排泄物”，means“the solid waste passed out of the body of a human or animal through the bowels”.如：The effect of animal faeces on the environment was discussed according to analysis of animal facces.通过对动物排泄物成分的分析，讨论其对环境的影响。
Anonymous, adj
1）表示“匿名的”，means“If you remain anonymous when you do something, you do not let people know that you were the person who did it.”.如：
The man was arrested after an anonymous tip-off.有人匿名举报后，那个人被抓了起来。
2）表示“不记名的”，means“Something that is anonymous does not reveal who you are.”.如：An anonymous well-wisher bailed the prisoners out.一个不留姓名的好心人把那些在押犯保释出来了。
3）表示“没有特色的”，means“without any unusual or interesting features”，譬如："brown anonymous houses"棕色的平淡无特点的房子。如：He has a rather anonymous face.他相貌平平。
Polystyrene, n
表示“聚苯乙烯（泡沫塑料）”，means“a light, usually white plastic used especially for putting around delicate objects inside containers to protect them from damage, or for putting around something to prevent it from losing heat”如：The computer is packed in expanded polystyrene before being shipped.这台计算机运送前用弹性聚苯乙烯包装。
Polyethylene, n
表示“聚乙烯”，means“a light, usually thin, soft plastic, often used for making bags or for keeping things dry or fresh”如：This order shall be packed in cartons with polyethylene tops.这批货的包装是用顶部带有聚乙烯的纸箱。
Polymer, n
表示“聚合物”，means“A polymer is a chemical compound with large molecules made of many smaller molecules of the same kind. Some polymers exist naturally and others are produced in laboratories and factories.”如：
The innovation is based on a multi-element polymer array for the sensing of volatile chemicals.这项新发明是基于能感觉挥发性化学物质的多种元素聚合体组合。
Swallow, v
1）表示“吞咽，吞下，咽下”，means“to cause food, drink, pills, etc. to move from your mouth into your stomach by using the muscles of your throat”.如：
My throat is so sore that it really hurts when I swallow.我的喉咙很痛，吞咽起来很难受。” 如：His lips worked as he tried to swallow the food.他使劲儿把食物咽下去，嘴唇都扭曲起来。
2）表示“忍气吞声，忍受”，means “tolerate or accommodate oneself to;” 如：They can't treat me like that; I'm not going to swallow it. 他们不能这样对待我，我忍不下这口气。
He swallowed all the criticism without saying a thing. 他默默地忍受一切责难。
Vulnerable, adj
表示“易受伤的；易受影响（或攻击）的；脆弱的”，means“able to be easily physically, emotionally, or mentally hurt, influenced, or attacked”.如：
Young birds are very vulnerable to predators. 幼小的鸟易受食肉动物伤害。Syringe, n
表示“注射器，注射筒”，means“a hollow, cylinder-shaped piece of equipment used for sucking liquid out of something or pushing liquid into something, especially one with a needle that can be put under the skin and used to inject drugs, remove small amounts of blood, etc.”如：The child started to wail when the nurse come over with a syringe.当护士拿着针筒走过来时，孩子便嚎啕大哭起来。
contamination, n
表示“污染，玷污；污染物”，means“something that contaminates”；如：Contamination can't be ruled out entirely. 污染是不能完全清除的。
Retain, v
常见意思表示“保留”，means“To retain something means to continue to have that thing.”.如：His speech could not retain the interest of his audience.他的讲话不能保持住听众的兴趣。
Trigger, v; n
1）作动词，表示“发动；引起；触发”，means“to make sth happen suddenly”.如：Large price increases could trigger demands for even larger wage increases.物价大幅度上涨会引起更大幅度增加工资的要求。
2）作名词，表示“扳机”，means“The trigger of a gun is a small lever which you pull to fire it.”.如：I pulled the trigger and the gun went off. 我一扣扳机，枪就响了。
同义词辨析：
stir表示“激发，激起（强烈的感情）；引起（强烈的反应）”，means“to make someone have a strong feeling or reaction”，.如：They tried to stir the peoples of the world into triumphant action. 他们试图激励人民大众的无限热情。
provoke也表示“激怒，惹起”，means“to cause a reaction or feeling, especially a sudden one”，如：His rudeness provoked me to strike him. 他的粗鲁惹得我揍了他。
spur 鼓动；激励；鞭策；刺激；鼓舞”，means“If one thing spurs you to do another, it encourages you to do it.”.如：Several strong targets have been set to spur action and guide the way forward.已经制定了若干强大的目标来促进行动和指导我们前进的道路。latch on to/ latch onto
1）表示“理解，懂得，领会（想法或某人的话）”，means“to understand an idea or what sb is saying”.如：It took him a while to latch onto their style of humour.他过了一会儿才明白他们的幽默方式。
2）表示“变得依附于”，means“to become attached to sb/sth”，如：antibodies that latch on to germs 依附于细菌的抗体。They latch on to your brain stem... And release a toxin that will force you to answer. 它们会寄居到你的脑干上... 释放一种毒素 强迫你回答问题。
3）表示“纠缠，缠住（某人）”，means“to join sb and stay in their company, especially when they would prefer you not to be with them.” 如：He always latched on to me when he saw me at a party.他在聚会上一看见我就总是缠着我。
4）表示“对…产生浓厚的兴趣”，means“to develop a strong interest in sth”。譬如电影《冬日奇缘》（Winter's Tale）中的台词：“I don't know how I ever latched on to someone like you,” but I sure hope I can keep you interested in me forever. I love you and will always be true. 我不知道我怎么会喜欢上你这样的人，但我希望我能让你永远对我感兴趣。我爱你，永远都会。 membrane, n
1）表示“膜”， “A membrane is a thin piece of skin that connects or covers parts of a person's or animal's body.”如：cell membrane 细胞膜
2）表示“薄膜；膜状物”，means“a very thin piece of material that covers an opening”。如：A plastic membrane serves as selective diffusion barrier.一层塑料薄膜起着选择性渗透屏障的作用。
Placenta, n
表示“胎盘”，means“the temporary organ that feeds a foetus (= developing baby) inside its mother's womb”。如：Earlier studies linked the placenta to the disease.早期的研究认为，该病与胎盘有关。
Foetus=Fetus, n
表示“胎儿；胎”，means“a young human or animal before it is born, especially a human more than eight weeks after fertilization”。如： The fetus of the diabetic gravida may also have disproportionately large shoulders and body size compared with the head.糖尿病孕妇的胎儿也可能有与胎头不相称的肩宽或躯体过大。
Induce, v
表示“ 诱发（某种身体反应）；引起，导致”，means“to cause a particular physical condition”，如：a drug-induced coma 药物引起的昏迷，如：They hoped their work would induce social changes.他们希望自己的工作可以引起社会上的某些变化。
In light of
In (the) light of表示“根据；考虑到，鉴于”，means“If something is possible in the light of particular information, it is only possible because you have this information.”如：I'm sure that you can sell more this year in light of the market conditions at your end.根据你们地区的市场情况，我方确信今年可以销得更多。
美剧《硅谷》（Silicon Valley）中的台词：Well, in light of recent activities, it appears that I could do a goddamn thing about it. 有鉴于最近的种种 看来我还是有办法的。
carcinogenesis, n
表示“致癌作用”，means something that can cause or tend to cause cancer; 如：carcinogenesis test致癌试验
exponential, adj
表示：“指数的；幂的”，means "of or involving exponents". exponent means "a mathematical notation indicating the number of times a quantity is multiplied by itself".如：Populations tend to decrease at an exponential rate.人口趋向于以指数比率下降。再如：电影《星际穿越》（Interstellar）中的台词：After that, with surrogacy, the growth becomes exponential. 之后可以利用代孕的方式使人口指数增长。