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Microplastics and Their Human Health Effects - Systematic Review of Systematic Reviews in Research of Microplastics
Summary
This systematic review of systematic reviews provides an overview of what is known about microplastics and human health. The research found that while microplastics are confirmed to be present in the human body, the specific health effects linked to different plastic types remain poorly understood. The study highlights that this field is still young and calls for more research to clarify the true health risks of daily microplastic exposure.
Research on microplastics (MP), plastic particles smaller than 5mm, has recently gained significant attention due to their environmental and health risks. Research focuses on identifying MP sources, their distribution in the environment, and their impact on organisms and human health. This systematic review aims to summarize research on the health effects of MPs on humans, detailing specific health impacts linked to different types of microplastics. A systematic search in the PubMed database up to December 25, 2024, and a review of previously published studies in the field identified only 4 systematic reviews that have been published on the human health effects of microplastics. We summarized the health effects of MPs reported in the identified studies and their specific health research focus. The PubMed database search yielded 8,018 hits on microplastic, 82 records provided systematic review, and 29 full text papers were considered eligible for the studies of health effect. Of the 29 full-text papers 4 reported on the human health effects of microplastics. Given the health impacts of microplastics on humans, the research highlights areas that need further study. This is particularly important as the health effects of microplastics are not yet fully understood, and many questions remain unanswered.