Medical infusion basses can release microplastics, shows studies

Microplastics were found almost everywhere what scientists have searched for. Now according to research published in Environment and HealthThese pieces of plastic – from 1 to 62 micrometer long – are present in the filtered solutions used for medical intravenous (IV) infusions. The researchers estimate that thousands of plastic particles can be delivered directly to the bloodstream of a person of a single 8.4-essence (250-milliliters) bag with infusion fluid.

In clinical environments, IV infusions are packed in individual plastic bags and supply water, electrolytes, nutrients or medicine to patients. The basis of these infusions is a saline solution that contains filtered water and sufficient salt to match the content of human blood. Research from the 1970s suggests that IV fluid bags can contain fixed particles, but few scientists have followed what those particles were made of.

Researchers Liwu Zhang, Ventsislav Kolev Valev and colleagues suspected that these particles could be microplastics that – infusion – would come in the bloodstream of the recipient and possibly cause negative health effects. So they wanted to analyze the types and quantities of particles in commercial IV liquid bags.

The team bought two different brands from 8.4-essence bags IV saline solution. After the contents of each bag was dripped into separate glass containers, the liquids were filtered to catch microscopic particles. Subsequently, the researchers counted part of the individual plastic fragments, with the help of that amount to estimate the total number of microplastics in the entire bag of IV liquid and to analyze the composition of the particles.

The researchers discovered that both salt assignments contain microplastic particles made from polypropylene – the same material as the bags – which suggests that the bags throw microplastics in the solutions. They estimate that every bag of infusion fluid could deliver around 7,500 microplastics directly into the bloodstream. This figure rises to around 25,000 particles to treat dehydration or 52,500 for abdominal surgery, which may require multiple IV bags.

The researchers recommend keeping IV infusion basses away from ultraviolet light and heat to reduce microplastic shedding, and they say that filtration systems at micrometer level can be used to remove the particles during infusion.

Although there are no clinical studies to date that have assessed the health risks of exposure to microplastics, the researchers say that their findings will help “offer a scientific basis for the formulation of appropriate policy and measures to limit the potential threats of microplastics for human health.”