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Umbrella Review on Micro and Nanoplastics: Mapping the Scientific Landscape
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Scientists reviewed over 7,000 studies on tiny plastic particles (microplastics and nanoplastics) to see what we actually know about their health and environmental effects. The research so far shows these plastics are widespread and can trigger inflammation, cell damage, and buildup in living things—but most studies focus narrowly on fish and water environments, meaning we still know surprisingly little about how these particles behave in soil, air, or the human body under real-world conditions. This matters because the gaps highlight that confident claims about microplastics' health risks are still premature—more rigorous, standardized research is needed before we can fully understand the danger
Micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs) are emerging contaminants widely distributed across environmental compartments and associated with potential ecological and human health risks. Given the rapid expansion of review literature on this topic, we conducted an umbrella review integrating scientometric mapping and thematic synthesis to evaluate research trends, methodological patterns, convergent evidence, and knowledge gaps in MNPs research. Review articles indexed in the Web of Science Core Collection up to June 2025 were analyzed using combined manual refinement, automated text-mining workflows, and CiteSpace network analyses. A total of 7,349 review articles were included. The results revealed strong thematic concentration around aquatic ecosystems, fish-based models, contamination studies, and adverse biological effects, particularly involving polyethylene (PE), polystyrene (PS), polypropylene (PP), and polyethylene terephthalate (PET). There was a broad consensus on the widespread environmental occurrence of MNPs and their potential to induce oxidative stress, inflammation, cytotoxicity, and bioaccumulation. However, substantial methodological heterogeneity and structural biases were identified, including the predominance of narrative reviews, limited taxonomic diversity, and inconsistent analytical and experimental approaches. Several domains remained comparatively underexplored, especially environmental transport, degradation pathways, microorganism interactions, combined exposure scenarios, and environmentally realistic conditions. In addition, terrestrial organisms, atmospheric systems, and less frequently studied polymer types remain insufficiently represented in the current review literature. Overall, this umbrella review demonstrates that, despite the rapid consolidation of MNPs research, important limitations persist regarding evidence integration, methodological standardization, and ecological representativeness. These findings highlight the need for more integrative, standardized, and ecologically relevant approaches capable of improving ecological risk assessment and advancing the understanding of MNPs dynamics and impacts across environmental systems.
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Microplastics and nanoplastics in humans: exposure pathways, biological mechanisms, and implications for health risk assessment
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Tiny plastic particles called microplastics and nanoplastics are everywhere—in our air, food, and water—and this review pulls together existing research on how they might get into our bodies and affect our health, including triggering inflammation, disrupting gut bacteria, and interfering with hormones. The bigger takeaway is that scientists still don't have solid answers on how much exposure is actually harmful or which groups (like children or people with existing health conditions) might be most at risk. This matters because it means current safety guidelines are based on incomplete information, so more research is needed before we can say how worried we should really be.
Environmental Fate and Ecological Risk of Micro- and Nanoplastics across Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecosystems
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Scientists reviewed existing research on tiny plastic particles (microplastics and nanoplastics) and found they're spreading throughout soil, rivers, and oceans, where animals eat them and pass them up the food chain. These plastic particles cause stress and health problems in wildlife, but researchers still don't fully understand the long-term effects or how much exposure is dangerous. This matters because these same plastic particles can end up in our food and water, but we need better research methods to understand the real risks to human health.
Microplastic Pollution in Aquatic and Terrestrial Ecosystems: Health Impacts and Remediation Strategies: A Systematic Review
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Tiny plastic bits called microplastics, shed from things like tires, laundry, and cosmetics, are everywhere in our water and soil, and this review of 54 existing studies confirms they can soak up pollutants and work their way into our food chain. While scientists agree this poses a real risk to both nature and human health, the research is still inconsistent, so the long-term effects on our bodies aren't fully understood yet. The takeaway: microplastic exposure is likely unavoidable in daily life, but more standardized research is needed before we know exactly how worried to be.
The potential effects of microplastics on human health: What is known and what is unknown
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This review summarizes what is currently known about how microplastics might affect human health, noting that while contamination is widespread in food, water, and air, direct evidence of harm in humans is still limited. Studies in animals and cell cultures suggest microplastics could trigger immune responses, cause inflammation, and affect reproduction and development. The authors call for more rigorous clinical studies to determine whether the levels of microplastics that people actually encounter pose real health risks.
Micro and nanoplastics pollution: Scientific progress, persistent gaps, and regulatory challenges
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This review analyzed over 16,000 studies to take stock of what scientists know about tiny plastic particles (micro and nanoplastics) found throughout our environment, food, and even our bodies. The big takeaway: while we know these particles can build up in humans and affect various organs, researchers still don't fully understand how long they stay in our bodies, how they interact with other pollutants, or their long-term health effects, partly because there's no standard way to test for them yet. This matters because it means official safety guidelines are still catching up to the science, so more rigorous, consistent research is needed before we can fully understand the real risk these particles pose to human health.
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