Nobody can be plastic - free in this world , but Sarasota lab is working on it

mysuncoast.com · Feb 27, 2026 · Collected from GDELT

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SARASOTA, Fla. (WWSB) - Researchers at a Sarasota-based company have spent more than 10 years working to find a way to remove microplastics from the human body.Now, they say they are now preparing to publish new findings in a medical journal.The team at Quorum Innovations has been studying biofilms — thin layers of bacteria that form in the body — and believes microplastics can accumulate there.“You can’t you really avoid that — nobody can be plastic-free in this world,” said Dr. Ava Berkes, Quorum’s chief scientific officer.The science behind the discovery was originally developed through two research awards from the U.S. Department of Defense’s Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. Berkes and Dr. Nicholas Monsul, the company’s co-founder, were developing microbial protective barriers to shield troops and first responders from chemical and biological threats. The same barrier technology now shows promise as a civilian application for plastic exposure. Monsul said the company has secured 55 patents.Some of their research costs have been supported by DARPA. The team recently traveled to Washington, D.C., continuing their work to find solutions to remove microplastics from the body.“The exposure is only increasing — production of plastic grows and grows every year,” Berkes said.The Sarasota-based team is preparing to publish new research in the journal Frontiers in Medicine. Researchers have also developed what they call the world’s first microplastics detox pill, QI601. Wayne Wilson said he has been taking it for four months.“I’m more aware of things and I don’t have the typical senior moments — brings clarity in your thinking,” Wilson said.Monsul said people can take steps now while broader solutions are developed.“There’s a lot of little things you can do in the meantime to decrease your load — start looking at technologies that could be available to decrease plastic absorption in your body,” Monsul said.The team said there is still no solution to eliminate microplastics entirely and that they are continuing to work toward ways to reduce the impact on human health.Copyright 2026 WWSB. All rights reserved.