Microplastics were detected in both human testis and semen, with the abundance in the testis significantly higher than that in semen. However, whether it is true that the larger microplastics can penetrate the male reproductive organs, as reported in this study, still presents "quite a question mark." "It's a pilot study that, in my opinion, provides preliminary evidence that microplastics are present in human testis," Vethaak said. In addition, given the small sample size of this study, Walker warned against drawing conclusions on the potential health impact. "It shows the potential for microplastics to exert some effects on the male reproductive organs," he said.

Source: Washington Post April 27, 2023 09:37 UTC