High levels of microplastics found in operating theatres

The study, published in the journal Environment International, is the first to examine the prevalence of microplastics in surgical environments

Researchers analysed levels in the operating theatre and the anaesthetic room in cardiothoracic surgeries and discovered an average of 5,000 microplastics per metre squared when the theatre was in use. Picture: Rui Vieira/PA

High levels of microplastics have been found in operating theatres by researchers who highlighted the “astoundingly high” amounts of single-use plastic used in modern surgical procedures.

A team from the University of Hull in the UK found the amount of microplastics in a cardiothoracic operating theatre was almost three times that found in homes, and said this identifies another route through which the tiny particles can enter the human body, with unknown consequences.