Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is an umbrella term for chronic inflammatory conditions that affect the gut, primarily Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. A growing body of evidence suggests that microplastics – tiny plastic particles ranging between 5 millimeters and 100 nanometers – are pro-inflammatory, potentially contributing to chronic disease. A recent study found that people with inflammatory bowel disease had roughly 49 percent more microplastics in their feces than healthy people.

Researchers measured microplastic concentrations in the feces of 102 participants. Half of the participants had IBD, and the other half were healthy. Participants completed questionnaires about their plastic usage and exposure.

The researchers found that the fecal concentration of microplastic particles in the feces of participants with inflammatory bowel diseases averaged 41.8 particles per gram of dry matter. In comparison, healthy participants' concentrations averaged 28.0 particles per gram. The various particles were in sheets, fibers, fragments, and pellets; most were smaller than 300 micrometers. Participants with higher fecal concentrations tended to have more severe IBD. The primary sources of microplastic exposure were plastic packaging (for food and water) and dust.

These findings suggest that microplastic exposure is linked to the disease process of IBD or that IBD might exacerbate microplastic retention in the body. They also add to the growing evidence suggesting that microplastics influence human health. Scientists have found microplastics throughout the human body, including the sputum, lungs, heart, liver, blood, endometrium, testis, amniotic fluid, and placenta00153-1/fulltext).