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Exposure Pathways, Biological Mechanisms, and Potential Urological Health Risks of Microplastics and Nanoplastics in the Human Genitourinary System: A Systematic Review
Summary
Tiny plastic particles called microplastics and nanoplastics have been found building up in surprising places in the body, including the kidneys, bladder, prostate, testes, and even sperm and semen. This review pulls together existing research suggesting these plastics may harm urinary and reproductive health by triggering cell damage, inflammation, and hormone disruption, though scientists still need more research to confirm exactly how serious these risks are for humans. It's a signal worth paying attention to, especially since these plastics are already widespread in our food, water, and air.
Microplastics (MPs) and nanoplastics (NPs) have become ubiquitous environmental contaminants that are increasingly detected in human tissues and biological fluids. Emerging human evidence indicates that MPs and NPs may accumulate throughout the genitourinary system, including the kidneys, urinary bladder, prostate, penis, testes, semen, sperm, and urine. Their presence has raised concerns regarding potential adverse effects on urinary and male reproductive health through mechanisms such as oxidative stress, inflammation, endocrine disruption, mitochondrial dysfunction, apoptosis, fibrosis, and genomic instability. However, existing evidence remains fragmented across different biological specimens and clinical settings. This systematic review aims to comprehensively synthesize the available human observational evidence regarding exposure pathways, tissue distribution, analytical detection methods, biological mechanisms, and potential urological and reproductive health consequences associated with MPs and NPs. The review follows the PRISMA 2020 reporting guideline and has been prospectively registered to improve transparency and reproducibility.