Rose Rimler

Yeah, it spits out something that looks like a chart where all the molecules that are present in the sample are broken down by weight. So the scientist gets this printout that looks like... It's a lot of lines of different lengths. And then, so then what do you do with that? How do you go from that to like, oh, this is what the material is?

Yeah, it spits out something that looks like a chart where all the molecules that are present in the sample are broken down by weight. So the scientist gets this printout that looks like... It's a lot of lines of different lengths. And then, so then what do you do with that? How do you go from that to like, oh, this is what the material is?

Yeah, basically. They're looking for the molecular weights of different types of plastic. And in this study, they reported that they did find this in these brain samples. In particular, they said that they found evidence of a lot of polyethylene. And that's the kind of plastic used for plastic packaging and plastic bottles and stuff like that.

Yeah, basically. They're looking for the molecular weights of different types of plastic. And in this study, they reported that they did find this in these brain samples. In particular, they said that they found evidence of a lot of polyethylene. And that's the kind of plastic used for plastic packaging and plastic bottles and stuff like that.

Yeah. And to lay people like us, that sounds pretty irrefutable at first. It's like, dang, okay, they found plastic bits in these brains. But there's a problem here. Remember that the first step of this process was the pyrolysis, the burning part?

Yeah. And to lay people like us, that sounds pretty irrefutable at first. It's like, dang, okay, they found plastic bits in these brains. But there's a problem here. Remember that the first step of this process was the pyrolysis, the burning part?

So of course you remember. The thing is that when you burn your sample up, you've changed its identity from what it was originally. So what was initially polyethylene, for example, would now be a handful of different molecules. And the problem is there are other materials that can break down into those same molecules when they're burned. So it's...

So of course you remember. The thing is that when you burn your sample up, you've changed its identity from what it was originally. So what was initially polyethylene, for example, would now be a handful of different molecules. And the problem is there are other materials that can break down into those same molecules when they're burned. So it's...

Yeah, it's like if you were to see a line for flour and you're like, aha, I know this was a souffle. You're like, well, no, it could have come from something else. It could have come from the pie or something. Yeah, I guess I'm going with it. So I'm approving that analogy. Excellent. And bringing us back to plastics. Yes, yes. So here's what the polyethylene could get mistaken for.

Yeah, it's like if you were to see a line for flour and you're like, aha, I know this was a souffle. You're like, well, no, it could have come from something else. It could have come from the pie or something. Yeah, I guess I'm going with it. So I'm approving that analogy. Excellent. And bringing us back to plastics. Yes, yes. So here's what the polyethylene could get mistaken for.

That's kind of a big problem. Fat. And here's Oliver.

That's kind of a big problem. Fat. And here's Oliver.

The brain is very fatty. Uh-huh. That feels like a huge problem. So I asked Oliver, could this supposed plastic spoon in our brains just be normal human fat?

The brain is very fatty. Uh-huh. That feels like a huge problem. So I asked Oliver, could this supposed plastic spoon in our brains just be normal human fat?

Human brain has human fat in it. Yeah, it doesn't really have the same ring to it.

Human brain has human fat in it. Yeah, it doesn't really have the same ring to it.

And it's not just Oliver that's raising alarm here. There's a group in Australia that was so concerned about the problems of this technique that they really put it to the test. They spiked blood samples with microplastics. So like they had a known quantity of microplastics. They put it in the blood and then they ran this analysis to see could it accurately read how much was in there.

And it's not just Oliver that's raising alarm here. There's a group in Australia that was so concerned about the problems of this technique that they really put it to the test. They spiked blood samples with microplastics. So like they had a known quantity of microplastics. They put it in the blood and then they ran this analysis to see could it accurately read how much was in there.

And they found that it couldn't. And actually, they concluded that this technique is, quote, unsuitable for looking for these particular plastics in our bodies.

And they found that it couldn't. And actually, they concluded that this technique is, quote, unsuitable for looking for these particular plastics in our bodies.