The Scientific-Cultural Journal of Ecosphere

Current Issue

By Issue

By Author

By Subject

About Journal

Aims and Scope

Editorial Board

Publication Ethics

Related Links

Journal Metrics

Effects of Microplastics on Human Health: A Review

Document Type : Original Article

Author

Natural Environment Department, University of Tehran, Iran

Abstract

Since the Industrial Revolution, plastics have been mass-produced in various forms to improve human welfare and food security. However, exposure to plastics has been linked to diseases without definitive cures. Microplastics (<5 mm) and nanoplastics (<1 μm) are either byproducts of plastic degradation or manufactured for other purposes. This review examines studies on their health impacts. Microplastics enter the human body via inhalation, ingestion, and dermal absorption. Animal studies confirm their toxicity, and due to physiological similarities, humans are not exempt from these risks. Accumulation of microplastics can lead to respiratory disorders, neurological issues, gastrointestinal diseases, tissue inflammation, and even cell death.
Despite progress in this field, many microplastic forms remain unstudied or poorly understood. Further research is crucial.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References
Velayatzadeh, M. (2022). The effects of microplastics and nanoplastics on human health and hygiene. [In Persian]
Amirsadeghi, M. (2022). The role of microplastics as emerging pollutants in human and animal health. [In Persian]
Khorasani, M. B., & Salari Dargi, M. (2022). Microplastics as emerging pollutants in resources and their health effects on humans: A review study. [In Persian]
Saha, S. C., & Saha, G. (2024). Effect of microplastics deposition on human lung airways: A review with computational benefits and challenges. Heliyon, 10(2), e24355. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e24355
Massardo, S., Verzola, D., Alberti, S., et al. (2024). MicroRaman spectroscopy detects the presence of microplastics in human urine and kidney tissue. Environment International, 184, 108444. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2024.108444
Winiarska, E., Jutel, M., & Zemelka-Wiacek, M. (2024). The potential impact of nano- and microplastics on human health: Understanding human health risks. Environmental Research, 251(Pt 2), 118535. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2024.118535
Ali, N., Katsouli, J., Marczylo, E. L., Gant, T. W., Wright, S., & Bernardino de la Serna, J. (2024). The potential impacts of micro-and nanoplastics on various organ systems in humans. eBioMedicine, 99, 104901. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ebiom.2023.104901
Sun, J., Sui, M., Wang, T., Teng, X., Sun, J., & Chen, M. (2024). Detection and quantification of various microplastics in human endometrium based on laser direct infrared spectroscopy. Science of the Total Environment, 906, 167760. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.167760
Emenike, E. C., Okorie, C. J., Ojeyemi, T., et al. (2023). From oceans to dinner plates: The impact of microplastics on human health. Heliyon, 9(10), e20440. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e20440
Zhao, J., Gomes, D., Jin, L., et al. (2022). Polystyrene bead ingestion promotes adiposity and cardiometabolic disease in mice. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, 232, 113239. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoenv.2022.113239
Huang, S., Huang, X., Bi, R., et al. (2022). Detection and analysis of microplastics in human sputum. Environmental Science & Technology, 56(4), 2476-2486. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.1c03859
Vethaak, A., & Legler, J. (2021). Microplastics and human health: Knowledge gaps should be addressed to ascertain the health risks of microplastics. Science, 371, 672-674. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.abe5041
Hou, D., Hong, M., Wang, Y., et al. (2021). Assessing the risks of potential bacterial pathogens attaching to different microplastics during the summer-autumn period in a mariculture cage. Microorganisms, 9(9), 1909. https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms9091909
Huang, Y., Qing, X., Wang, W., Han, G., & Wang, J. (2020). Mini-review on current studies of airborne microplastics: Analytical methods, occurrence, sources, fate, and potential risk to human beings. Trends in Analytical Chemistry, 125, 115821. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trac.2020.115821
Li, Z., Zhu, S., Liu, Q., et al. (2020). Polystyrene microplastics cause cardiac fibrosis by activating Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway and promoting cardiomyocyte apoptosis in rats. Environmental Pollution, 265(Pt A), 115025. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2020.115025
The Scientific-Cultural Journal of Ecosphere
Volume 7, Issue 2
September 2024
Pages 16-22
Files
Share
How to cite
Statistics