Out, damn spot: the new technology that promises to clean your blood of microplastics

Flesh, blood — and plastic. That’s what we’re made from these days, with studies finding microplastics in almost every part of the human body, from the brain to the heart.

- Claudia Cockerell

These tiny particles are almost impossible to avoid in modern life. Drinking bottled water, chewing gum and eating shellfish are some of the worst offenders for ingesting microplastics. But in truth, they are everywhere. Microplastics from polyester clothing can leach into our skin, synthetic carpets release them into the air and when you walk down a busy road, you'll be breathing in microplastics shed from car tyres.

Researchers are still looking into the effect this has on the body, but preliminary findings have linked microplastics to inflammation, organ dysfunction, decreased reproductive health and cancer. As awareness of the issue grows, a potentially lucrative opportunity is opening up for science-backed solutions.

Leading the charge is London-based Clarify Clinics, which opened last November and occupies a grand 19th-century townhouse off Harley Street. Its founders are American father-daughter duo David and Yael Cohen.