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Microplastics and the Kidney: A Narrative Review of Human Evidence, Molecular Mechanisms of Cell Injury, and Future Directions
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This review summarizes existing research on how tiny plastic particles might affect kidney health. It describes how plastics entering cells can trigger stress and damage in lab studies, and notes that human studies have found microplastics in urine and kidney tissue, linked to early signs of kidney damage, though evidence remains limited.
Microplastics (MPs) are widespread environmental contaminants, but their potential effects on kidney health remain poorly defined. As an organ continuously exposed to circulating particles and involved in their urinary elimination, the kidney may represent both a target of MP toxicity and a route of excretion. In this narrative review, we examine current evidence linking MPs to kidney injury, integrating experimental, mechanistic, and human data. Particular attention is given to the early events governing particle–cell interactions. After exposure, micro- and nanoplastics acquire an eco- and biomolecular corona that modifies their surface properties, cellular recognition, uptake, and biodistribution. Following internalization through phagocytic and endocytic pathways, particles may accumulate within endolysosomal compartments and interact with intracellular structures, disrupting cellular homeostasis. In renal cells, these events converge on mitochondrial dysfunction, reactive oxygen species generation, endoplasmic reticulum stress, inflammatory signaling, altered autophagy, and regulated cell death. Several interconnected pathways have been implicated, including Keap1–Nrf2/ARE and NF-κB signaling, MAPK and IRE1/XBP1-mediated stress responses, ACSL4–GPX4-related ferroptosis, and TGF-β1-related profibrotic signaling. Human studies have detected MPs in urine and kidney tissue and provide preliminary evidence linking MP burden with early markers of kidney damage, although current findings remain limited by small study populations and substantial methodological heterogeneity. Patients with chronic kidney disease, particularly those receiving dialysis, may represent a population of special interest because potentially altered renal handling may coexist with repeated exposure to polymer-based medical devices and dialysis fluids. Despite this potential relevance, data on MP exposure and accumulation in CKD and dialysis patients remain remarkably scarce. We finally discuss the limitations of current experimental models and analytical methods and the need for standardized biomonitoring, more environmentally relevant particles and exposure concentrations, and detection strategies capable of reaching the nanoscale, including artificial intelligence-assisted analysis. Overall, available evidence provides a mechanistic basis for MP-induced kidney injury, but its clinical relevance and contribution to human kidney disease remain to be established.
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Tiny plastic particles have been found in human blood, urine, and even kidney tissue, and lab studies show they can stress kidney cells and potentially contribute to inflammation and scarring. This review pulls together what scientists currently know, but it's clear we still don't have solid proof that microplastics actually cause kidney disease in people, more research is needed, especially for those already dealing with kidney problems or dialysis, before we can say how worried to be.
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Tiny plastic particles from our air, water, and food—called micro- and nanoplastics—can enter our bodies and travel to the kidneys, where studies show they may cause cell damage, inflammation, and scarring over time. This review pulls together existing research on how these plastics get into our system and harm kidney tissue, suggesting that everyday plastic exposure could be an overlooked risk factor for kidney disease. More research is needed, but this is an early signal that reducing plastic exposure might matter for long-term kidney health.
Microplastics and Kidneys: An Update on the Evidence for Deposition of Plastic Microparticles in Human Organs, Tissues and Fluids and Renal Toxicity Concern
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This review summarizes the growing evidence that microplastics are found throughout the human body, including in the placenta, lungs, liver, heart, blood, and breast milk. While direct evidence for kidney damage in humans is still lacking, animal studies show that microplastics can cause kidney inflammation, cell death, and oxidative stress. The findings highlight that microplastics are accumulating in virtually every human organ, though the long-term health consequences remain unclear.
Micro- and Nanoplastics in the Human Exposome: Environmental Pathways, Kidney Toxicity, and Implications for Public Health Risk Assessment
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This review pulls together existing research on tiny plastic particles that enter our bodies through food, water, and air, showing they can build up in organs, especially the kidneys, and potentially cause cell damage and inflammation in lab studies. While these particles have been found in human blood, tissue, and urine, scientists still don't know exactly how much risk this poses to human health, so more research is needed before drawing firm conclusions.
Pathophysiological impact of nano- and microplastics on the kidney and their potential role in blood pressure regulation
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Tiny plastic particles have been found in human blood, kidneys, and urine, and this review of existing animal and lab studies suggests they may damage kidney cells, cause inflammation, and potentially contribute to high blood pressure. While these effects have been shown in rodents and cell studies, scientists haven't yet proven this happens in people—so this is an early warning sign worth watching, not a confirmed health risk. Still, it adds to growing concerns about how the plastic pollution in our environment might quietly affect our organs over time.
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