Tiny pieces of plastic may get into the body via the air people breathe and the food they eat, a study suggests.

Researchers who examined stool samples from eight people from diverse geographical locations found that all the samples contained microplastics, according to a report in Annals of Internal Medicine.

“This small prospective case series showed that various microplastics were present in human stool, and no sample was free of microplastics,” wrote the team of researchers led by Dr Philipp Schwabl of the Medical University of Vienna.

“Larger studies are needed to validate these findings. Moreover, research on the origins of microplastics ingested by humans, potential intestinal absorption, and effects on human health is urgently needed.”