MICROPLASTIC POLLUTION : Plastic Found in Human Blood and Sperm in East Java

Ecoton Reseacher Prigi Arisandi analyzes the chemical elements in
Nanoplastic materials found in blood using electron microscope at the
Scientific Imaging Centre at ITB Bandung on April 10, 2026

After finding plastic particle contamination in amniotic fluid, the Ecoton research team also found plastic contamination in human blood and sperm.

JAKARTA, KOMPAS — Micro- and nano-sized plastic particles were found in the bloodstream of workers and students examined in East Java. Plastic contamination was also found in semen, and previously, the research team found it in amniotic fluid. These findings indicate widespread plastic contamination in the human body, potentially triggering health problems.

The Science, Arts, and Communication Manager of the Wetland Ecology and Conservation Research Institute (Ecoton), Prigi Arisandi, contacted from Jakarta on Monday (13/4/2026), conveyed his team's latest findings regarding the presence of nano and microplastic particles (NMPs) in the human circulatory system.

The study involved 30 women, consisting of 20 waste workers and 10 students, living in Blitar, Pacitan, Magetan, Lamongan, and Malang. "We found an average of 9 microplastic particles per milliliter (ml) of blood," said Prigi.

The Ecoton research team also conducted a preliminary study in February 2026 and identified microplastics in the semen and amniotic fluid of pregnant women. Four semen samples were found to contain 6-7 microplastic particles, measuring 1.5-7.9 micrometers, made of polyethylene polymer.

According to Prigi, this finding is a warning sign for public health, especially since polyester is the most predominant polymer. This material is most widely used in the modern clothing and textile industry.

Nano-sized

Several international studies have previously reported the discovery of plastic particles in various human organs, including blood, semen, lungs, and even the brain. Previously, plastic contamination in human blood was also reported in respondents in Jakarta. The Ecoton team's findings with respondents in East Java confirm the widespread presence of plastic contamination in the human body in Indonesia.

Prigi said that to confirm the presence of plastic particles in the blood, the Ecoton team collaborated with the Scientific Imaging Center (SIC) at the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB). The laboratory has material monitoring facilities with a precision of up to 10 nanometers using a scanning electron microscope (SEM).

For the record, 1 nanometer is equal to 1 millionth of a millimeter (mm). Compared to the diameter of a human hair, which is approximately 0.1 mm, 1 nanometer is 100,000th the size of a human hair. In addition to measuring accuracy down to 10 nanometers, SEM can also detect the constituent elements of materials.

According to Prigi, the examination at the SIC is necessary because the plastic particles entering human blood are so small that they cannot be examined with the equipment they typically use. Erythrocytes, or red blood cells, measure between 6 and 8 micrometers (µm), with an average of 7.2 µm, while microplastics are still in the millimeter range. Microplastics are defined as plastic fragments measuring between 5 mm and 1 µm, or 1 per 1,000 millimeters.

"Using SEM at ITB, we successfully identified nanoplastics in blood and semen measuring 200-800 nanometers," said Rafika Aprilianti, Head of the Ecoton Microplastics Laboratory. She added that the types of nanoplastics found were fibers and fragments.

 This study showed that the plastic particles found were 0.4-10 microns in size. This size is far smaller than the diameter of human capillaries, which range from 5-10 microns, and arterioles, which range from 8-100 microns. This means these plastic particles have the mechanical ability to penetrate the deepest tissues, flow unimpeded through arterioles, and interact directly with vital cells in the body.

 According to Rafika, besides polyester at 28 percent, other polymers detected in this examination were poly polyisobutylene (24 percent), polyethylene (PE, LDPE, HDPE total 32 percent), and polyethylene terephthalate / PET (16 percent).

What we wear every day has the potential 

to become poison flowing through our veins.

Rafika added that the predominance of polyester in this finding has focused attention on the clothing industry, which uses materials containing plastics that can be released during washing. It is suspected that micro- and nanofibers released from synthetic clothing and textile factory waste are now not only polluting rivers but have also been transferred into the human body.

In addition to Rafika, this research was also supported by Lestari Sudaryanti (lecturer at the Faculty of Medicine, Airlangga University), Daru Setyorini (Director of Ecoton), Sofi Azilan Aini (Ecoton researcher), and several other researchers. "The fact that textile polymers were the largest contributor to the blood of our study subjects shows that what we wear every day has the potential to become a poison flowing through our veins," said the Ecoton research team.

Previous research by Ecoton, in collaboration with the Airlangga Faculty of Medicine in Surabaya, found microplastic contamination in amniotic fluid. The study, conducted using 45 amniotic fluid samples in Gresik, East Java, found 3-4 polyethylene microplastic particles in the amnions of pregnant women.

Prigi cites the opinion of American pediatrician Philip J. Landrigan in the documentary "The Plastic Detox, " who stated that pregnant women exposed to toxic chemicals from plastic simultaneously expose the reproductive organs of three generations: the mother, the unborn child, and the egg/reproductive cells already formed within the fetus. This means that grandchildren could be affected by the plastic we consume today.

Health impacts

In this latest study, the Ecoton team has not yet analyzed the health impacts experienced by study subjects whose blood contained plastic particles. However, Lestari Sudaryanti stated that they will continue this research regarding DNA fragmentation caused by plastic contamination in the blood.

 "The presence of plastic in the blood is what worries me because it triggers DNA fragmentation. This is because oxidative stress can damage the integrity of the (blood) membrane," said Lestari.

Several international research reports have also revealed that the presence of these synthetic foreign substances in the blood can trigger a series of dangerous biological reactions. Research by Longxiao Liu of the School of Public Health, Hangzhou Medical College, China, and his team published in the journal Toxic in October 2025 stated that nanoplastics in the blood can cause hemolysis, or the rupture of red blood cells. They can also trigger pro-coagulant activity and interact with blood cell membranes.

A direct link between plastic particle contamination in the blood and stroke or cardiovascular disease in humans is still indicative and not fully causal. However, Liu and his team's study demonstrates that the mechanisms, namely hemolysis and coagulation, are highly biologically consistent. This report also suggests that the presence of plastic contamination in the blood has the potential to weaken immune function through chronic inflammation.

Meanwhile, a report by Chao Seng from the College of Chemistry and Life Science, Beijing University of Technology, China, and his team in the Journal of Hazardous Materials in December 2024 revealed that nanoplastic contamination in the blood can activate clotting factors and trigger the formation of thrombi or blood clots.

Given these findings on plastic pollution and its impact on various human organs, the Ecoton research team recommends reducing the use of single-use plastics in daily activities, particularly when consuming food and beverages and when shopping. We are also encouraged to reduce the use of synthetic clothing.

Other concrete steps that can be taken include avoiding single-use plastic containers, bringing your own water bottle, and using reusable shopping bags. "This collective effort is crucial to reducing the amount of plastic that has the potential to degrade into nanoplastics in the environment, which can ultimately impact human health and the broader ecosystem," Prigi said.

By Ahmad Arif - April 13, 2026, 8:15 AM WIB · Environment

Source :kompas.idhttps://www.kompas.id/artikel/plastik-ditemukan-dalam-darah-dan-sperma-manusia-di-jawa-timur?utm_source=link&utm_campaign=tpd_-_ios_traffic&utm_medium=shared