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The Effect of Microplastics and Its Impact on Human Health: Mapping India's Research Footprint
Original title: The Effect of Microplastics and Its Impact on Human Health: Mapping India’s Research Footprint
Summary
This study takes stock of India's growing research on microplastics—tiny plastic bits that can end up in our food, water, and even our bodies—and how they might affect our health. Rather than uncovering new health risks, it maps out who's studying the issue, what topics they're focusing on (like toxicity and heavy metal contamination), and where the field is headed next, including newer areas like AI-assisted research and how these particles move through the body. The takeaway: microplastics and human health are becoming a bigger research priority in India, which means we can expect more concrete answers about the risks in the years ahead.
Microplastics (MPs) are plastic particles smaller than 5 mm in size and have been identified as a major global concern because of their persistence and potential risks for human health. This study aimed to conduct a scientometric analysis of the global research on MPs with special referenceto India. Results indicated that most of the significant funding support was providedby the Department of Science and Technology (DST), University Grants Commission (UGC), and the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).The keywords mostlyused in the research studies were microplastics, human health, toxicity and heavy metals. However, the emerging themes were artificial intelligence, pharmacokinetics, and biomedical applications. The collaboration mapping of Institutions revealed IITs, CSIR labs, Banaras Hindu University and Cochin University of Science and Technology as the leading contributors in this research domain. The journals most opted by the authors for their publications were Science of the Total Environment, Environmental Science and Pollution Research, and Environmental Research. The findings reveal that Indian research on MPs is multidisciplinary and increasingly integrated with global efforts.