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Human Health and Microplastics: An Emerging Concern
Summary
This review examines the growing global concern over microplastic contamination of natural ecosystems and human health, covering sources including personal care products and fragmenting larger plastics, and exposure pathways including ingestion, inhalation, and skin contact. The authors summarize current evidence for toxicological effects and call for standardized methods and stronger regulatory responses.
Microplastics (MPs) contamination has become a significant global concern owing to its considerable impact on the natural ecosystem as well as human health. These microparticles originate from a wide range of sources incorporating personal care products, the rundown of bigger plastic items, soups, bags, and bottles as well as incineration of all kinds of plastic products or materials. In addition to this, MPs have been found in drinking water sources, food items and even in the air we breathe, making them a ubiquitous threat. The hazardous impacts of MPs on marine as well as other ecosystems are notable. The intake of MPs by wildlife and humans can lead to physical injuries, and bioaccumulation of harmful substances, resulting in severe toxicological responses in the body. Furthermore, MPs have been found to contain hazardous chemicals such as polybrominated diphenyl ethers which possess the capability to penetrate the environment and potentially induce endocrine disruption, reproductive issues as well as cancer. The World Health Organization (WHO) has recognized MPs as an emerging concern, and it is working to evaluate the considerable health hazards correlated with exposure to MPs particles from the environment. Therefore, in this chapter, we will examine the relationship between microplastics and human health.