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Human Responsive Biomarkers of Airborne Microplastics Exposure: Evaluation and Analysis for Health and Environment
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This research review looked at 14 studies to understand how tiny plastic particles in the air affect human health by measuring specific markers in our blood and lungs. The studies found that breathing in microplastics causes inflammation in our airways and lungs, similar to what happens with asthma, by triggering the body's immune response. This matters because it helps scientists develop better ways to detect early health problems from plastic pollution and create guidelines to protect people from these invisible particles we breathe every day.
Abstract Airborne microplastics from a variety of sources, including textiles and environmental degradation, pose a challenging problem due to their ability to infiltrate respiratory tissues and trigger inflammatory response. Microplastics may contribute to respiratory impairment and other respiratory-related problems. Airborne microplastics influence the lung metabolism and toxic mechanism reactions that are interpreted using human responsive biomarkers for airway inflammation. This study aims to evaluate the airborne microplastic exposure influences on human responsive biomarkers. This study employs systematic scoping review using PRISMA to explore human biomarkers response to airborne microplastic exposure. The reviewed publications are from databases like ScienceDirect, SpringerLink, PubMed, and Google Scholar. Papers were selected using four keywords: “airborne microplastic”, “human biomarker”, “biological response”, and “health effects” with associated synonyms. A total of 14 publications met the inclusion criteria for this scoping review, comprising 7 from ScienceDirect, 4 from PubMed, 2 from Google Scholar, and 1 from SpringerLink. Among the 14 studies reviewed, polystyrene (PS) was reported in 46% of the studies, polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) were each reported in 15%, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) in 8%, and other microplastic types were reported in 15% of the studies, noting that some studies examined more than one polymer type. Previous research showed a significant relationship between asthma symptoms and biomarkers such as TNF-α, IL-6, IL-8, IL-17 and IL-1β in human lung cells and other studies related to human and animal respiratory systems. 6 out of 14 reviewed articles have investigated biological responses and disease mechanisms using mice, a reliable mammalian model for comparison with human systems. Standardizing human-responsive biomarkers, such as IL-6 and IL-8 which are commonly used for airborne microplastic exposure, will improve early detection of airway inflammation and strengthen environmental health risk assessments, thus leading to policy development. The consistent biomarker thresholds and measurement protocols facilitate the comparison of exposure levels, identification of at-risk populations, and development of evidence-based guidelines to mitigate microplastic-related health impacts. Graphical Abstract
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This review examines the emerging evidence on airborne microplastics, covering their sources, how they travel through the atmosphere, and how they enter the human respiratory system through inhalation. Researchers highlight potential health effects including pulmonary inflammation, oxidative stress, and endocrine disruption, with particle size influencing how deeply they penetrate into the lungs. The study calls for standardized measurement protocols and urgent interdisciplinary research to better understand the health risks of breathing in microplastic particles.
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This review pulls together a decade of research on tiny plastic particles floating in the air we breathe, finding that once inhaled, they can trigger inflammation, cell damage, and immune disruption deep in the lungs, effects linked to conditions like asthma, COPD, and even lung cancer. The risk may be even greater since these particles often carry other harmful substances like heavy metals along for the ride. That said, scientists still lack standardized ways to measure this exposure, so more consistent research is needed before we fully understand how worried we should be, but it's a good reason to pay attention to air quality and plastic pollution in daily life.
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