1 . Microplastic pollution has been detected in human blood for the first time, with scientists finding the tiny particles(微粒) in almost 80% of the people tested. The discovery shows the particles can travel around the body and may live in organs.

The impact on health is as yet unknown. But researchers are concerned as microplastics cause damage to human cells in the laboratory and air pollution particles are already known to enter the body and cause millions of early deaths a year.

Huge amounts of plastic waste are left in the environment and microplastics now pollute the entire planet, from the top of Mount Everest to the deepest oceans. People were already known to consume the tiny particles via food and water as well as breathing them in, and they have been found in the faeces (排泄物) of babies and adults.

The scientists analysed blood samples from 22 healthy adults and found plastic particles in 17. Half the samples contained PET plastic, which is commonly used in drinks bottles, while a third contained polystyrene, used for packaging food and other products. A quarter of the blood samples contained polyethylene, from which plastic carrier bags are made.

“Our study is the first indication that we have polymer particles(聚合物颗粒) in our blood — it’s a breakthrough result,” said Prof Dick Vethaak, an expert at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam in the Netherlands. “But we have to extend the research and increase the sample sizes, the number of polymers assessed, etc.” Further studies by a number of groups are already under way, he said.

“It is certainly reasonable to be concerned,” Vethaak said. “The particles are there and are transported throughout the body.” He said previous work had shown that microplastics were 10 times higher in the faeces of babies compared with adults and that babies fed with

plastic bottles are taking millions of microplastic particles a day.

Vethaak acknowledged that the amount and type of plastic varied considerably between the blood samples. “But this is a pioneering study,” he said, with more work now needed. He said the differences might reflect short-term exposure before the blood samples were taken, such as drinking from a plastic-lined coffee cup, or wearing a plastic face mask.

“The big question is what is happening in our body?” Vethaak said. “Are the particles retained in the body? Are they transported to certain organs, such as getting past the blood-brain barrier? And are these levels sufficiently high to cause disease? We urgently need to fund further research so we can find out.”

1. What could be inferred from Paragraph 2?

A．Air Pollution particles can cause death eventually.

B．Microplastics can be deadly to humans.

C．There is no evidence that microplastics harm human cells.

D．Microplastics can travel throughout body and damage organs.

2. What can we learn about microplastics from Paragraph 4?

A．They are found in most people.

B．Polyethylene found in blood samples might be taken from drinks bottles.

C．A quarter of the blood samples contained PET particles.

D．Half of the microplastics in the blood samples were likely introduced by drinking from plastic containers.

3. According to Paragraph 5, what was Prof Dick Vethaak’s attitude towards their findings?

A．Doubtful.

B．Negative.

C．Excited.

D．Depressed.

4. The underlined part “this is a pioneering study” in Paragraph 7 probably means ________.

A．we are the pioneers in the field of plastic research

B．we need more blood examples and more work to do

C．we are entering a whole new field of research

D．this is an extremely important study

5. Which section of the newspaper may this article be found in?

A．Political.

B．Fashion.

C．Food.

D．Environment.