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Microplastic Contamination in Latin American Drinking Water and Food Chains: Exposure Assessment, Toxicological Mechanisms, and Public Health Implications in Vulnerable Populations
Summary
This review pulls together existing research showing that people in Latin America—especially children—are drinking and eating tiny plastic particles through tap water and seafood like oysters and mussels, sometimes at very high levels. These microplastics may cause inflammation, hormone disruption, and gut problems, and can even carry toxic metals like mercury and lead along with them into the body. The takeaway: kids are getting up to 5 times more exposure than adults, but because monitoring is patchy across the region, much more testing and stronger water-safety policies are needed to understand and reduce the risk.
Microplastics constitute an emerging contaminant of major concern in Latin America, where human exposure predominantly occurs through ingestion of drinking water and marine/estuarine food chains. This review synthesises available evidence on occurrence, exposure pathways, toxicological mechanisms, and regional public health risks, while examining regulatory and monitoring limitations that constrain effective risk management. Reported concentrations in drinking water show a wide range (1–1194 particles/L), dominated by PET, PP, and PS, with fibres and fragments as the main morphotypes. In commercial marine species, prevalence reaches 70–100%, with burdens up to 44 particles/g in oysters and ~90 particles/250 g in mussels. Estimated Daily Intake is 2–5 times higher in children (e.g., Chile: 13.03 vs. 5.59 particles/day in adults). Toxicological mechanisms include oxidative stress, chronic inflammation (NF-κB pathway), endocrine disruption, intestinal dysbiosis, systemic translocation, and placental transfer, exacerbated by vectorization of local co-contaminants (Hg from mining, Cd/Pb from agriculture). Risk indices indicate extreme danger in Brazil, Chile, and Ecuador, where data are available. Significant geographic and methodological gaps persist, with Brazil dominating research (~50–60%). Multicenter biomonitoring, harmonised surveillance networks, and SDG-aligned policies are urgently needed to reduce exposure burdens, protect vulnerable populations, and advance toward comprehensive regional risk assessment.