Preliminary Evidence of Microplastics in the Human Thyroid and Their Potential Association with Autoimmune Thyroiditis
Authors' conclusion
An increased MPs burden with the particular enrichment of PVC was observed in patients with AIT, suggesting a potential association between environmental MPs exposure and thyroid autoimmunity. Further mechanistic and epidemiological studies to clarify the impacts of chronic MPs exposure are needed.
Study context
- Population
- Patients undergoing thyroidectomy; thyroid tissue with vs without histologically confirmed autoimmune thyroiditis (AIT)matched case-control
- Participants
- 29 vs 29
- Comparison
- AIT vs non-AIT controls
- AITn = 29
- Non-AIT controlsn = 29reference
- Outcome
- Total MP concentration in thyroid tissue by Py-GC/MS
Methodological detailsage- and sex-matched
- Age- and sex-matched
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Total MP concentration (Py-GC/MS)
P = 0.012
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
MP abundance (micro-Raman) · higher with AIT
P = 0.037
- MP abundance (micro-Raman) — Particle size range
- 33.9 to 1467 µm
MP size, shape and color
- No significant differences between groups
Original publication
Preliminary Evidence of Microplastics in the Human Thyroid and Their Potential Association with Autoimmune Thyroiditis. Thyroid. Published 10 April 2026. doi:10.
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