Common blood storage bags may leach microplastics into stored blood

When I read some research papers, I feel like screaming. This is one such paper!

We think blood people receive is a life-saver in  some conditions.

But we also hear stories about getting infected with contaminated blood that causes death. 

One such incident happened when I was very young. One of my aunts, who received infected blood for her postpartum hemorrhage, got liver cancer after a few years and died because of it. 

Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C, are the leading global causes of liver cancer. These blood-borne viruses cause long-term liver swelling and severe scarring, known as cirrhosis, which can turn into cancer over time. 

Blood banks test blood products strictly for these viruses to keep transfusions safe. But there was a time these things were not taken very seriously and people suffered as a result. 

One such stage is passing through in our lives now. Microplastic and nano plastic contamination of blood.

 Image source: Eurochlor

In the 1970s, PVC bags revolutionized the storage of blood and blood products for transfusion. Disposable plastic (PVC) bags replaced reusable glass bottles, making the process more convenient and safer from contamination. Over half a century later, the same disposable plastic bags are creating a new kind of problem because of microplastics (MPs). These tiny particles, less than 5 millimeters in size, are formed by the polymer degradation of plastic materials as they break down and age.

In a recent study published in Environment & Health, researchers from China investigated how microplastics are released from medical storage bags into the blood and preservation fluids used for transfusions.

Researchers found PVC microplastics not only in blood-preservation fluids but also in stored blood samples, with microscopy showing that some particles attached to red blood cells. Their levels rose substantially during storage, increasing by roughly seven- to 20-fold over 30 days compared with freshly opened blood bags in the tested systems.

Storage conditions also played a role in the amount of plastic being shed. Microplastic levels increased with higher storage temperatures, and the bags were shaken to simulate transportation.

Microplastics do not belong anywhere on this planet, but they have made their way to every corner of Earth. There is growing evidence that these microscopic plastic particles have invaded many tissues and organs throughout the human body, including the lungs, liver, placenta, blood and blood vessels.

Studies have already documented that microplastics leach from everyday disposable medical gear, including IV infusion sets, syringes, IV bags and even the tubing used in kidney dialysis. For instance, IV infusion bags alone can shed up to 5,455 plastic particles into every litre of fluid.

Blood bags are typically made of PVC.

High-tech techniques, including Raman spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy, revealed that tiny, irregular plastic fragments floating in blood storage solutions were PVC particles shed from the bags. Raman spectroscopy identified the particles' chemical fingerprints, while scanning electron microscopy captured microscopic changes in blood transfusion bags. The microscopy also showed that plastic particles attached directly to the outer membranes of stored red blood cells.

Tests revealed that storing blood bags at room temperature caused significantly more plastic to break off than storing them at 4 °C did. Simulated transport placed additional physical stress on the bags, causing the plastic to crack and peel and releasing significantly more particles into the liquid than in bags that remained still.

When healthy red blood cells were exposed to these microplastic-containing fluids for 30 days, their intracellular ATP—the chemical energy that keeps them alive and maintains their shape—gradually declined. Some cells also lost their disk shape and became spiky over time.

The researchers also identified a potential solution—ultrafiltration, which passes the storage liquid through extremely fine filters before it is added to blood. It removed 78%–85% of the microplastics. With most of the particles filtered out, red blood cells retained their normal shape, maintained their energy levels and were protected from shape changes.

The findings provide direct evidence that microplastics contaminate blood storage systems and can affect the quality of stored blood.

Ning Li et al, Microplastics Released from Blood Storage Bags: A Hidden Contribution to Red Blood Cell Storage Lesions, Environment & Health (2026). DOI: 10.1021/envhealth.6c00110