From the Guidelines
Microplastics exposure poses significant health risks, including inflammation, oxidative stress, and cellular damage, and minimizing exposure is crucial to reduce potential harm to human health. The health effects of microplastic exposure are a growing concern due to their ubiquitous presence in the environment and their ability to enter the human body through ingestion, inhalation, or skin contact 1. Research suggests that microplastics can cause physical blockages, absorb toxins, and potentially bio-magnify these toxins through the food chain, leading to various adverse effects on human health 1.
Key Health Risks
- Inflammation and oxidative stress
- Cellular damage
- Disruption of hormonal function by leaching chemicals like BPA and phthalates
- Potential effects on reproductive health, metabolism, and development
- Ability to cross biological barriers, including the blood-brain barrier and placenta, potentially affecting fetal development
Reducing Exposure
To minimize exposure to microplastics, individuals can take several precautions, including:
- Using fewer plastic products
- Avoiding heating food in plastic containers
- Drinking filtered water
- Choosing natural fiber clothing
- Reducing plastic use in daily life
While the long-term health implications of microplastic exposure are not yet fully understood, reducing exposure is a prudent approach until more definitive answers are available 1. The most recent and highest quality study 1 highlights the importance of minimizing exposure to microplastics to reduce potential harm to human health.
From the Research
Health Effects of Microplastic Exposure
- Microplastic exposure may cause particle toxicity, with oxidative stress, inflammatory lesions and increased uptake or translocation in the human body 2
- The inability of the immune system to remove synthetic particles may lead to chronic inflammation and increase risk of neoplasia 2
- Microplastics may release their constituents, adsorbed contaminants and pathogenic organisms, which can have negative effects on human health 2
- Ingestion and inhalation are the two major exposure pathways to microplastics, with an adult potentially consuming approximately 5.1 × 10^3 items from table salts and up to 4.1 × 10^4 items via drinking water annually 3
- Microplastic inhalation intake ranges from 0.9 × 10^4 to 7.9 × 10^4 items per year 3
Exposure Routes and Factors
- Exposure to microplastics may occur through ingestion, inhalation, and dermal contact due to the presence of microplastics in products, foodstuff, and air 2, 3
- The use of gloves, sunscreen, and face masks may reduce exposure to microplastics 4
- Hair and saliva samples have been found to have high and low numbers of microplastics, respectively 4
- The size and type of microplastics, as well as individual susceptibility, can influence the toxicity and health effects of microplastic exposure 2, 5
Potential Health Implications
- Microplastic exposure has been linked to genotoxicity, inflammation, and endocrine disruption, although knowledge about long-term and inter-individual health effects is lacking 5
- Microplastics have been found accumulated in human blood, cardiac tissue, placenta, and other organs, highlighting the need for further research on their health effects 5
- Correlative studies in people exposed to high concentrations of microplastics, model animal and cell culture experiments, suggest that effects of microplastics could include provoking immune and stress responses and inducing reproductive and developmental toxicity 6