26/10/2026
In a study conducted in collaboration between Sabancı University and İzmir University of Economics (İEÜ) Medical Point Hospital, microplastic particles were discovered in 7 out of 10 human hip bone tissue samples examined. The study, which spanned approximately two years, has yielded significant findings regarding the potential impact of plastic pollution on human health.
Adding a new dimension to scientific research on the presence of microplastics in the human body, the study was carried out by Prof. Dr. Emre Erdem, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences at Sabancı University; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Feray Bakan Mısırlıoğlu, Principal Investigator at the Sabancı University Nanotechnology Research and Application Center (SUNUM); Dr. Mehmet Kaymakoğlu and Dr. Mert Filibeli from the Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology at İEÜ Medical Point Hospital; and Kerem Nakay, a student at the İzmir University of Economics Faculty of Medicine.
As part of the research, bone tissue samples removed during surgery from 10 patients admitted to İEÜ Medical Point Hospital due to hip fractures were analyzed. To prevent external plastic contamination, the samples\ which would typically be disposed of as medical waste\ were transported to SUNUM without coming into contact with any plastic materials.
Analyses conducted at SUNUM by Prof. Dr. Emre Erdem and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Feray Bakan Mısırlıoğlu revealed the presence of particles in 7 of the 10 bone tissue samples that are consistent with polymers used in PET bottles and various other plastic products.
The Effects of Microplastics on Bone Health to be Investigated
Dr. Mehmet Kaymakoğlu and Dr. Mert Filibeli, faculty members in the Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology at İEÜ Medical Point Hospital, noted that while microplastic particles have previously been detected in human blood, brain, and lung tissues, this study focuses specifically on hip bone tissue.
In the subsequent stages of the research, the aim is to investigate the potential effects of microplastic particles on bone health and their possible link to bone diseases. The findings are expected to lay the groundwork for further research into the long-term impacts of microplastics on the human body. Furthermore, this collaborative project between Sabancı University and İEÜ Medical Point Hospital highlights the significant contribution that the integration of expertise from the fields of medicine and materials science can make to scientific research.
