The presence of microplastics has been found in human penile tissue. This discovery has implications for male fertility and our understanding of the effects of environmental pollutants on reproductive health.

This study involved six participants who were undergoing surgery for a multi-component inflatable penile prosthesis. A stringent protocol for sample collection from the corpora was implemented to prevent contamination, except for one control sample. Samples were analysed using laser direct infrared (LDIR) chemical imaging, which has a particle size detection range of 20–500 µm, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), which enables detection of particles <20 µm in size.