(The Atlantic) – Scientists have now been studying microplastic for 20 years, since a paper in 2004 first used the term, and have started on nanoplastics, the vanishingly small versions that build up in organs. In that time, human exposure to microplastic has been increasing exponentially; by 2040, the amount of plastic in the environment could double. A robust body of research now links chemical compounds (such as phthalates and bisphenols) that are shed from plastic to a wide array of human health impacts, including hormone disruption, developmental abnormalities, and cancer. But scientists know far less about what the health impacts of the plastic fragments embedded in our organs and coursing through our blood might be. (Read More)