Can microplastics from food and water accumulate in human blood and cancerous tissues?

What's actually in it

Microplastics from food packaging, water bottles, and household products enter your body through food and air. Once absorbed, they circulate in your blood and can lodge in tissues throughout your body. The question of whether they accumulate in diseased tissue has been a growing area of research.

What the research says

A 2026 study in Naunyn Schmiedebergs Arch Pharmacol detected polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polypropylene microplastics in human blood and cancerous tissue samples. The same plastic types found in food containers and water bottles were found inside the body and within tumor tissue.

The presence of microplastics in cancerous tissue raises questions about whether they contribute to cancer development or progression. Microplastics can carry other chemicals and trigger chronic inflammation, both of which promote cancer.

Minimize microplastic intake by using glass and stainless steel for all food and drink. Filter your water. Choose fresh, unpackaged foods over heavily processed, plastic-wrapped options.