The following is a list of locations where microplastics have been detected: Mount Everest, the Mariana Trench, Antarctic snow, clouds, plankton, turtles, whales, cattle, birds, tap water, beer, salt, human placentas, semen, breast milk, feces, testicles, livers, brains, arteries, and blood.
In early March, an individual provided a sample by extracting a few drops of blood from their fingertips in the London office of Clarify Clinics. This facility offers treatments to cleanse blood of microplastics, forever chemicals, and other toxins, starting at £9,750 ($12,636).
Each week, approximately 10 to 15 individuals visit the basement clinic located near Harley Street—an area known for private clinics and affluent clients. After undergoing a consultation, patients sit in an armchair for their treatment. A cannula draws blood from the patient into a machine that separates the plasma from blood cells. The plasma is then filtered through a column designed to capture microplastics and other unwanted chemicals, before it is reconstituted with the blood cells and reintroduced into the patient’s circulatory system. The entire process can last up to two hours and processes between 50 to 80 percent of the blood plasma volume.
Yael Cohen, CEO of Clarify Clinic, comments on the process, noting how comfortable it is for patients who often take calls, engage in virtual meetings, watch movies, or sleep during the procedure. The reasons for seeking treatment vary, with patients experiencing issues such as chronic fatigue, brain fog, or long COVID. The clinic also offers treatments to individuals using Ozempic-style weight-loss drugs, those looking to conceive, or people aiming to prevent dementia.
Clarify Clinic promotes the potential for symptoms to be alleviated through the removal of microplastics or other contaminants like PFAS chemicals and pesticides. Nonetheless, the scientific understanding of how microplastics impact health remains inconclusive. A 2022 report by the World Health Organization (WHO) indicated insufficient evidence to determine whether microplastics pose health risks. The report concluded that while the safety of microplastics is uncertain, the risks they might present are also unknown.
Frederic Béen, an environmental contaminants researcher at the Amsterdam Institute for Life and Environment, emphasizes the need to accurately measure human exposure to microplastics and other environmental contaminants, as “the dose makes the poison.”
Numerous scientific studies have traced the presence of microplastics across the Earth’s surface and within the human body. However, few have explored their health implications. A 2022 review article linked microplastics to harm in human cells but did not assess the effects on living humans. A 2024 study showed that individuals with microplastics in the fatty plaque within their carotid arteries faced an increased risk of heart attacks and strokes compared to those without microplastics in their arteries.
