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Microplastics and Their Role in Endocrine Disruption
Summary
This review pulls together existing research showing that tiny plastic particles—found in everyday items like bottles, bags, and cosmetics—are building up in our environment and food chain, with the average person unknowingly swallowing about 52,000 plastic fragments a year. These microplastics can carry harmful chemicals and bacteria into the body, potentially disrupting hormone function and even damaging DNA, which is why researchers are calling for better tracking and reduction of plastic pollution at its many sources.
Microplastics (MPs) are pulverized fragments of plastic ranging from 5.0 mm to 1.0 nm in size. MPs’ chemical ingredients include polystyrene, polyethylene (PE), polyurethane, polyvinyl chloride, polypropylene, and PE terephthalate. The primary sources of MPs are marine or terrestrial. MPs are produced mainly by terrestrial sources, viz., plastic bags and bottles, personal care goods, building supplies, and textiles. Marine sources account for 10–20% of MPs discharged into bodies of water; they primarily include maritime boats, beach plastic waste, and fishing gear. Recent researchers have highlighted various municipal and industrial wastes from distilleries, pulp and paper, textiles, cosmetics, electronics, agro-waste, and tanneries as emerging sources of MPs in ecosystems. Due to very slow degradability, they enter the tissues of aquatic organisms and the human body through the food chain. It is estimated that a person consumes 52,000 fragments of MPs per year. The MPs are also reported as vectors for pathogenic bacteria and various toxic plasticizers absorbed on their surface. The MPs act as carriers of these toxins and enter the endocrine system of the human body and aquatic organisms, subsequently disrupting the endocrine system. Bisphenol, octylphenol, nonylphenol, phthalates, polybrominated diphenyl ether, and various other residual pollutants from pulp and paper industries are well reported as endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) for fish. MPs and nanoplastics are also reported to be carcinogens and cause DNA mutagenicity. Thus, it is evident that to promote sustainable development, the many sources of MPs must be efficiently managed by in-depth analysis and elimination.