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Effects of Microplastics on the Human Body and Methods of Detection
Summary
This review summarized how microplastics and nanoplastics enter the human body through ingestion, inhalation, and skin contact, and outlined current detection methods used to identify them in biological samples. The authors found that while evidence of tissue accumulation is growing, health effect thresholds and standardized exposure metrics are still lacking.
Growing public concern regarding microplastics (and nanoplastics) and emerging evidence indicating their potential health risks have intensified scientific interest in these materials. Although the presence of microplastics in the environment has long been considered to be confined largely to plastic debris or pollutants, humans are continuously being exposed to these particles through ingestion, inhalation, and dermal contact. Once internalized, depending on their physicochemical properties, microplastics can disseminate throughout diverse tissues and organs. Accumulated microplastics may interact with a range of cell types, including stem and endothelial cells, potentially disrupting cardiovascular function and tissue regeneration. Although the complete excretion of these particles via urine or feces would minimizetheir potentially detrimental effects, persistence or bioaccumulation within the body may lead to toxicity or disease. Notably, immune dysregulation triggered by microplastics has been associated with acute and chronic inflammation, with possible progression to oncogenesis. Despite such concerns, the health-related effects of microplastics in humans remain poorly understood, and analytical methodologies for their detection are still insufficiently developed. In this review, we summarize current knowledge regarding the definition, toxicity, detection techniques, and emerging research trends associated with microplastics