- A study by researchers at the University of Campania, Italy, found higher levels of micro- and nanoplastics in the blood of patients who had survived a serious heart attack.
- Tiny plastic particles were detected in the blood supplying the heart in 84 per cent of heart attack patients, significantly more than in patients with other heart conditions or healthy arteries.
- The research indicated a strong link between smoking and exposure to higher levels of air pollution and increased microplastic levels in the bloodstream.
- Scientists suggest that smoking and air pollution may facilitate the entry of these plastic particles from the lungs into the bloodstream.
- While the study establishes a strong association, it does not definitively prove that microplastics cause heart attacks, but it reinforces the view of plastic pollution as a significant public health concern.
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