New Study Finds Microplastics in Human and Canine Testicular Tissue: Implications for Reproductive Health

Albuquerque, New Mexico United States of America
12 types of microplastics identified in human testicular tissue, 10 types in canine.
Higher levels of PVC plastic correlated to lower sperm count in dogs.
Microplastics have been found in various environments and can enter body through ingestion or breathing.
Polyethylene was the most common plastic polymer found.
Researchers from University of New Mexico found microplastics in human and canine testicular tissue.
New Study Finds Microplastics in Human and Canine Testicular Tissue: Implications for Reproductive Health

In a groundbreaking study, researchers from the University of New Mexico have discovered microplastics in every human and canine testicle examined. The team, led by Xiaozhong 'John' Yu, MD, PhD, MPH and Matthew Campen, PhD from the UNM College of Nursing and Toxicological Sciences respectively, analyzed tissue samples from both species to understand the potential impact on reproductive health.

The researchers identified 12 types of microplastics in human testicular tissue and 10 types in canine testicular tissue. The most common plastic polymer found was polyethylene, which is used in the manufacture of plastic bags and bottles. In dogs, higher levels of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic correlated to a lower sperm count.

The presence of microplastics in human testicular tissue raises concerns about their potential impact on human reproductive health. While further research is needed to establish a definitive link between microplastics and declining sperm counts, the findings add to growing evidence that plastic pollution is pervasive and poses risks to both human health and the environment.

The study was published in the journal Toxicological Sciences on May 1, 2024. The researchers emphasized that their goal was not to alarm but rather to provide data and raise awareness about microplastics in our bodies.

Microplastics have been found in various environments, from polar regions like Mount Everest and the Mariana Trench to urban areas. They can enter the body through ingestion of contaminated food or water, or by breathing them in. The long-term health effects of microplastic exposure are not yet fully understood but studies have shown that they can cause inflammation and damage to human cells.

The researchers call for more research into the potential impact of microplastics on human reproductive health and emphasize the importance of reducing plastic pollution to protect both human health and the environment.


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Confidence

91%

Doubts
  • Are the findings definitively linked to declining sperm counts?
  • What are the long-term health effects of microplastic exposure?

Sources

97%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

Microplastics Found in Every Human Testicle Examined in New Study

IGN (Imagine Games Network) Tuesday, 21 May 2024 16:54
  • Unique Points
    • Microplastics found in every human and canine testicle examined
    • Significant quantities of microplastics present in human and canine reproductive organs
    • Polyethylene, used in plastic bottles, is the most common microplastic found
  • Accuracy
    • Human testicles contained three times more microplastics than canine testicles on average
    • Polyethylene was the most common microplastic found
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (95%)
    The author makes an appeal to emotion with the statement 'We don't want to scare people.' This is a form of informal fallacy known as an appeal to fear or appeasement. The author also uses inflammatory rhetoric by stating that microplastics 'disrupt the natural ecosystem in subtle but insidious ways' and 'polluting our bodies - including the heart, placenta, liver, and kidneys.' This type of language is intended to elicit an emotional response from the reader without providing any concrete evidence or reasoning.
    • We don’t want to scare people.
    • microplastics disrupt the natural ecosystem in subtle but insidious ways
    • polluting our bodies - including the heart, placenta, liver, and kidneys
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (0%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

78%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

Microplastics found in every human testicle in study

theguardian.com Article URL: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/feb/13/ pakistan-·coalition-·agrees-to-form-government Damian Carrington Monday, 20 May 2024 14:34
  • Unique Points
    • Microplastics found in every human and dog testicle sampled.
    • Higher microplastic concentration in human testicles compared to dogs: 330 micrograms per gram vs. 123 micrograms.
    • Polyethylene was the most common microplastic found, followed by PVC.
  • Accuracy
    No Contradictions at Time Of Publication
  • Deception (30%)
    The author makes several statements that imply or claim facts without providing peer-reviewed studies to support them. These statements include: 'Microplastics have been shown to cause damage to human cells in the laboratory.', 'People are known to consume the tiny particles via food and water as well as breathing them in.', and 'In March, doctors warned of potentially life-threatening effects after finding a substantially raised risk of stroke, heart attack and earlier death in people whose blood vessels were contaminated with microscopic plastics.' These statements are not directly quoted from the study but rather the author's interpretation or summary of it. Additionally, the author selectively reports details that support their position, such as 'The human testicles had a plastic concentration almost three times higher than that found in the dog testes: 330 micrograms per gram of tissue compared with 123 micrograms.' without mentioning that this difference may not be statistically significant or meaningful. The author also uses emotional manipulation by stating 'The impact on health is as yet unknown but microplastics have been shown to cause damage to human cells in the laboratory.' and 'doctors warned of potentially life-threatening effects'.
    • Microplastics have been shown to cause damage to human cells in the laboratory.
    • People are known to consume the tiny particles via food and water as well as breathing them in.
    • The impact on health is as yet unknown but microplastics have been shown to cause damage to human cells in the laboratory.
  • Fallacies (80%)
    The author makes an appeal to authority when quoting Prof Xiaozhong Yu's statements about the potential health effects of microplastics and their presence in human testicles. The author also uses inflammatory rhetoric by stating 'vast amounts of plastic waste are dumped in the environment and microplastics have polluted the entire planet, from the summit of Mount Everest to the deepest oceans.' This statement is not a logical fallacy but it is an emotional appeal that may influence readers.
    • ]The impact on health is as yet unknown but microplastics have been shown to cause damage to human cells in the laboratory.[
  • Bias (80%)
    The author expresses concern and implies a potential link between microplastics in testicles and declining sperm counts in men. While the article does not directly state bias, it does use language that could be perceived as sensationalizing the issue by using phrases like 'potentially life-threatening effects' and 'impact on health is as yet unknown'. The author also quotes a professor expressing surprise at the discovery of microplastics in human testicles, which could be interpreted as implying that this is a new or unexpected finding. However, it should be noted that further research is needed to definitively prove that microplastics cause sperm counts to fall.
    • At the beginning, I doubted whether microplastics could penetrate the reproductive system.
      • In March, doctors warned of potentially life-threatening effects after finding a substantially raised risk of stroke, heart attack and earlier death in people whose blood vessels were contaminated with microscopic plastics.
        • The impact on health is as yet unknown but microplastics have been shown to cause damage to human cells in the laboratory.
        • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication
        • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication

        87%

        The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
        (Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

        A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

        Scientists Confirm Microplastics Now Detected in Human Testicles

        ScienceAlert David Nield Monday, 20 May 2024 02:37
        • Unique Points
          • Microplastics have been detected in every sample of testicular tissue taken from both dogs and humans.
          • Human tissue had an average 122.63 micrograms of microplastics per gram, while canines had an average of 122.63 micrograms for every gram of tissue.
          • The most common plastic polymer found in both humans and dogs was polyethylene, which is used in the manufacture of plastic bags and bottles.
          • In dogs, higher levels of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic correlated to a lower sperm count.
        • Accuracy
          • Microplastics have been detected in every human and canine testicle examined.
          • Higher microplastic concentration in human testicles compared to dogs: 122.63 micrograms per gram vs. 122.63 micrograms.
          • Polyethylene was the most common microplastic found, followed by PVC in some articles.
        • Deception (50%)
          The article makes several statements that could be considered sensational and emotionally manipulative. The author uses phrases like 'sobering reminder', 'raising concerns', and 'worries' to elicit an emotional response from the reader. The author also selectively reports information by focusing on the presence of microplastics in human testicles and their potential impact on male fertility, while downplaying or ignoring other findings from the study such as the presence of microplastics in dogs and other environments. The article also implies that there is a causal link between PVC exposure and lower sperm counts without providing definitive evidence to support this claim.
          • We can now add testicles to the list of places where microplastics have managed to spread
          • PVC can release a lot of chemicals that interfere with spermatogenesis and it contains chemicals that cause endocrine disruption.
          • The study raises some concerning questions in regards to how these microscopic fragments might impact male fertility.
        • Fallacies (90%)
          The author makes several statements that are not fallacious but do contain inflammatory language and appeals to emotion. For example, 'We can now add testicles to the list of places where microplastics have managed to spread' and 'gives us another sobering reminder of how plastic pollution is penetrating every part of our bodies'. However, these statements do not contain any logical fallacies as they are simply the author's opinion. The author also makes an appeal to authority when quoting environmental health scientist Xiaozhong Yu from the University of New Mexico. This is a valid use of an appeal to authority as it is a respected scientist making the statement and it is relevant to the topic of the article.
          • ]We can now add testicles to the list of places where microplastics have managed to spread[
          • At the beginning, I doubted whether microplastics could penetrate the reproductive system[
          • The plastic makes a difference - what type of plastic might be correlated with potential function[
        • Bias (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication
        • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication
        • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication

        99%

        The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
        (Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

        A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

        UNM Researchers Find Microplastics in Canine and Human Testicular Tissue

        University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center Wednesday, 01 May 2024 00:00
        • Unique Points
          • University of New Mexico researchers detected significant concentrations of microplastics in the testicular tissue of both humans and dogs.
          • ,
        • Accuracy
          • Microplastics found in every human and canine testicle examined.
          • The most common microplastic found is polyethylene.
        • Deception (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication
        • Fallacies (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication
        • Bias (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication
        • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication
        • Author Conflicts Of Interest (0%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication

        82%

        The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
        (Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

        A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

        Low sperm count could be due to microplastics, new study finds

        Euronews Tuesday, 21 May 2024 00:00
        • Unique Points
          • Microplastics were found in all 23 human testes and all 47 testes from pet dogs.
          • Human testicles contained microplastics at almost three times the concentration as dog testicles.
          • Polyethylene and PVC were the most frequently found microplastics in human and dog testes respectively.
        • Accuracy
          No Contradictions at Time Of Publication
        • Deception (30%)
          The article makes several statements that are not directly related to the study and contain editorializing and sensationalism. The author uses phrases like 'red flag', 'limits of the Earth', 'bodily inviolability too', and 'purest parts of human life' which are not factual or directly related to the study. The author also makes unsupported statements about microplastics causing penises to shrink and sperm counts to halve in western men. These statements are not backed up by any evidence presented in the article.
          • Microplastics have crossed so many boundaries it is hard to keep track.
          • One expert believes that pollution is causing penises to shrink, as well as lowering sperm count.
          • What might have been considered the purest parts of human life - placentas, babies, breast milk - contain microplastics.
        • Fallacies (85%)
          The author uses inflammatory rhetoric by stating 'These tiny particles of decomposed plastic have seeped into clouds, and been found buried in archaeological remains believed to be 'pristine'. They have challenged our ideas of bodily inviolability too, infiltrating every organ. What might have been considered the 'purest' parts of human life - placentas, babies, breast milk - contain microplastics.' This is an appeal to emotion and creates a sense of urgency without providing any concrete evidence or data. The author also uses dichotomous depiction by contrasting 'pristine' with 'infiltrating every organ'.
          • These tiny particles of decomposed plastic have seeped into clouds, and been found buried in archaeological remains believed to be 'pristine'.
          • What might have been considered the 'purest' parts of human life - placentas, babies, breast milk - contain microplastics.
        • Bias (95%)
          The author expresses a clear opinion that microplastics are a problem and raises concerns about their potential impact on human health, specifically in relation to sperm count. While the article does not directly state that the author holds a bias against any particular group or ideology, the language used suggests an anti-pollution stance and implies that humans are negatively affected by microplastics. The author also quotes experts expressing similar concerns about microplastics and their potential impact on human health.
          • Every human testicle in the study contained microplastics
            • Microplastics have crossed so many boundaries it is hard to keep track.
              • Sperm counts in western men have more than halved in the last few decades, with air pollution and exposure to pesticides frequently cited as factors. One expert believes that pollution is causing penises to shrink, as well as lowering sperm count.
                • The ubiquitous existence of microplastics and nanoplastics raises concerns about their potential impact on the human reproductive system.
                  • They have challenged our ideas of bodily inviolability too, infiltrating every organ. What might have been considered the purest parts of human life - placentas, babies, breast milk - contain microplastics.
                  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
                    None Found At Time Of Publication
                  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (0%)
                    None Found At Time Of Publication