Microplastics and the credit card lie
20. June 2025
Partner in Mission Oloid Engineering GmbH
26. June 2025
Plastification of our bodies in our lifetime: How plastics and microplastics permeate our bodies
An invisible revolution is taking place in our bodies - and it's made of plastic.
Gunther von Hagens made the process of plastination world-famous with his Körperwelten exhibition: Bodies are preserved by replacing their fluids with plastics. What was then considered a revolutionary method of preserving anatomy is now being done in a modified form while we are still alive - involuntarily and usually unnoticed.
Environmental destruction on a global scale or: The silent invasion of microplastics
The pollution of our planet by microplastics has reached apocalyptic dimensions. The world's oceans have become a giant plastic soup, with each square kilometer of ocean estimated to contain an average of 63,000 microplastic particles. Marine life ingests these particles, which can lead to blockages in the digestive system, false feelings of satiety and ultimately death.
Even in the most remote areas of the world, from the Arctic to the deepest ocean trenches, microplastics have been detected. The particles have accumulated in food chains and affect entire ecosystems. Corals that ingest microplastics show reduced growth rates and increased mortality.
We ingest countless tiny plastic particles every day without realizing it.
Microplastics - defined as plastic particles smaller than 5 millimetres - have long since conquered every corner of our planet. From the deepest ocean trenches to the highest mountain peaks, from rainwater to our drinking water: plastic is everywhere.
But what is particularly worrying is the realization that these particles have also found their way into our bodies. Studies have found microplastics in blood, lungs, placenta, stool and even breast milk. Metaphorically speaking, we are being plasticized during our lifetime.
The pathways of plastic into our bodies
- Through food: Seafood is an obvious source, as fish and mussels absorb microplastics from seawater. However, salt, honey and even beer have also been shown to contain plastic particles. Food in plastic packaging is particularly problematic: Heat, UV radiation or mechanical stress cause the smallest particles to dissolve and migrate into the food.
- Via the air we breathe: synthetic clothing releases millions of microfibers with every wash, which are released into the environment via sewage treatment plants and ultimately end up in the air. The abrasion of car tires also contributes to air pollution with microplastics.
- Drinking water: Both tap water and bottled water contain microplastics. Ironically, water from plastic bottles often has higher concentrations than tap water.
What happens to the plastic in our bodies?
Research into the health effects of microplastics is still in its infancy, but initial findings are worrying:
Microplastic particles can trigger inflammation in tissues. The immune system recognizes the foreign particles as intruders and reacts accordingly - a process that could promote chronic inflammation in the event of long-term exposure.
Keyword hormonal disorders. Many plastics contain additives such as bisphenol A (BPA) or phthalates, which act as endocrine disruptors. These chemicals can affect the hormone system and have been linked to fertility problems, diabetes and other diseases.
Nanoplastics - even smaller particles than microplastics - can even penetrate cell membranes and potentially damage DNA. The long-term consequences are still unresearched, but the potential for serious health problems is there.
The invisible threat for future generations
The detection of microplastics in the placenta is particularly alarming. This means that even unborn children are exposed to plastic pollution. The effects on fetal development are not yet fully understood, but initial studies indicate possible developmental disorders.
What can we do?
While completely avoiding microplastics in our thoroughly plasticized world is almost impossible, we can reduce our exposure:
In everyday life:
- Use glass instead of plastic bottles
- Reduce consumption of “ready meals” in plastic packaging
- Avoid microwave heating in plastic containers
- Buy clothes made from natural fibers
- Use of air purifiers indoors
Socially:
- Support companies that use sustainable packaging
- Promote a circular economy
- Pressure on politicians for stricter regulations
- Invest in research into plastic alternatives
A wake-up call for humanity
The realization that we are already being "plastinated" during our lifetime should be a wake-up call. While Gunther von Hagens saw plastination as a service to science and education, the involuntary plastination of our bodies is an unintended consequence of our throwaway society.
The irony is bitter: what was once seen as an innovative method of preserving dead bodies could now be a creeping process affecting our living bodies. It is high time we acted - for our health and that of future generations.
The solution does not lie in a return to the Stone Age, but in intelligent alternatives, conscious consumption and a fundamental change in the way we use plastics. This is the only way we can prevent humanity from becoming a plasticized species in the truest sense of the word. Because one thing is certain: unlike von Hagens' preserved bodies, we all want to stay alive - without plastic in our veins.
