A new study has found a “widespread” presence of microplastics in human and dog testicles.
The search, published last week in the journal Toxicological Sciences, found that of all 47 canine and 23 human testicles that were examined, all had the presence of microplastics.
The findings suggest there are potential consequences for male fertility.
Microplastic fragments have not yet been studied extensively, but researchers have found that they are in many parts of the body.
Dr. John Yu, a toxicologist at the University of New Mexico College of Nursing, is the study’s lead author.He told NPRthat quantifying microplastics is “the first step” in understanding the potential adverse effects of having microplastics “everywhere”.
Researchers at Yu University in New Mexico collected autopsy testicles from people ages 16 to 88 and from nearly 50 dogs after they were neutered.
Yu said dogs were chosen as part of the experiment because they are so embedded in the human environment that they can function as “sentinel” animals for disease and chemical exposure.
The researchers dissolved the biological issue and about 75% of what was left in their samples was plastic. Most of it was polyethylene, used in packaging, bags and various products.
At least in dogs, there was a correlation between lower sperm counts and the presence of polyvinyl chloride, which is present in PVC pipes.
Yu told NPR that the results were “concerning,” but he hopes they will allow for more targeted studies on the relationship between sperm and microplastics.
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