A recent paper published in Nature Medicine reported high levels of microplastics in human brain tissue, but the study’s findings are being questioned due to duplicated images. The principal investigator, Matthew Campen, confirmed that the three sets of images were duplicated and apologized for the mistake.
Campen stated that the duplications did not affect the main conclusions of the paper, which reported a median of 4.9 milligrams of micro- and nanoplastics per gram of tissue in brain samples collected in 2024. However, two microplastics researchers, Phoebe Stapleton and Martin Wagner, expressed concerns that the amount of microplastics may have been overestimated due to methodological issues.
Stapleton and Wagner noted that the investigators used a sensitive analytical chemistry method called pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, which can detect smaller micro- and nanoplastics but also generates false positives if not properly cleaned up. They pointed out that brain tissue contains lipids with similar mass spectra as plastic polyethylene, suggesting that the samples may not have been properly cleaned.
The study found higher concentrations of polypropylene and polyvinyl chloride in 2024 compared to 2016, but the investigators did not provide adequate data on potential plastic contamination during the experiment. Wagner and Jones emphasized the importance of cautious interpretation of the results, as the study’s findings are concerning but may be limited by methodological issues.
In a statement, Nature Medicine acknowledged the concerns raised on PubPeer and expressed commitment to addressing any issues related to the paper’s accuracy and methodology.
Source: https://www.thetransmitter.org/publishing/spoonful-of-plastics-in-your-brain-paper-has-duplicated-images