Only 15% of Larger Microplastics Leave Your Body
NonToxCo Research
Science & Safety Team · 4/7/2026
Researchers injected tracked microplastics into rats and followed them for 3 months. Only 15% of the larger particles left the body. The rest accumulated in organs.
Where Microplastics End Up
A 2026 study in Environ Sci Technol used europium-doped microplastics (so they could track every particle precisely) and achieved roughly 90% recovery of all administered particles. The results map exactly where microplastics go in the body.
The liver and spleen collected the most. Muscles, despite having low individual concentrations, became the second largest long-term storage site because of their sheer mass. The brain and heart accumulated less.
Bigger Particles Stay Longer
About 80% of the smallest particles (77 nm) were excreted through feces, mostly in the first 3 weeks. But for larger particles (300 and 2,000 nm), only about 15% were eliminated. The rest stayed in the body for the entire 3-month study period.
The bigger the plastic particle, the harder your body has to work to get rid of it. And most of the microplastics people swallow from food and water are in that larger size range.
Your Body Can't Break Them Down
Plastic doesn't degrade inside you. It just sits there. Your liver tries to filter it out. Your immune cells try to engulf it. But the particles persist, accumulating over a lifetime of exposure.
How to Reduce Your Load
Stop adding to the pile. Use glass and stainless steel for food and water. Avoid plastic packaging. Filter your drinking water. Cut down on synthetic materials in your home. Browse non-toxic home essentials for everyday swaps.
Also see non-toxic kitchen essentials for safer alternatives.