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Toxicology of micro- and nano-plastics and occupational health: a comprehensive literature review
Summary
This review pulls together recent research on how tiny plastic particles (microplastics and even smaller nanoplastics) might affect the health of workers who encounter them on the job, such as in plastic manufacturing. The bottom line: scientists still don't fully understand how these particles behave in the body or what long-term harm they might cause, so more research is urgently needed to protect worker health. This matters because if plastic exposure is risky for workers who face high daily contact, it raises questions worth watching for the rest of us too, given how widespread microplastics have become in everyday life.
This review discusses the potential hazards of exposure to micro- and nano-plastics in the workplace and its mitigation. The literature reviewed was obtained by searching the papers used in most research for the necessary data, including PubMed, specifically for the last five years. The search was performed using the key terms “microplastics”, “nano-plastics”, “toxicity”, “health”, and “workers”. Unless the plastic value chain is changed, the threats to the environment, marine ecosystems, species, human health, the economy, and communities will become intolerable. But these hazards also present special opportunities to contribute to the shift to a more sustainable world. The review underlines the need for more investigation into the intricate biological relationships and hazards associated with the buildup of MPs/NPs in the workplace, and suggests possible avenues for future research on the health of employees.