ScienceAugust 4, 2026

polyethylene

pah-lee-ETH-uh-leen

Definition

A widely used, lightweight, and durable synthetic plastic material found in many consumer products that researchers detected in human blood samples.

Etymology

The term is a chemical name formed from the Greek word 'polys' (meaning many) combined with 'ethylene', the gas from which the plastic is polymerized.

In the news

In this article, polyethylene is one of the specific types of plastic that scientists attempted to measure and remove from patient blood samples during the cholesterol treatment process.

Cholesterol Cleanup Cuts Chemicals, Plastics, Mystery Remains

Read the full article ↗

Mirage News

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