0
Article ? AI-assigned paper type based on the abstract. Classification may not be perfect — flag errors using the feedback button. Tier 2 ? Original research — experimental, observational, or case-control study. Direct primary evidence. Environmental Sources Human Health Effects Sign in to save

Methods for the detection of microplastics in mammals

Theoretical and Natural Science 2023
Haoyang You

Summary

Scientists now detect microplastics in human blood, lungs, placentas, and other tissues, but the field still lacks a single gold-standard method for measuring them. This review compares the strengths and limitations of current detection techniques — including spectroscopy, microscopy, and chemical digestion — to help standardize how microplastics in the human body are quantified, which is a prerequisite for accurately assessing health risks.

The mass manufacture and extensive usage of plastics have brought about the spread of microplastics throughout the whole environment and even into the bodies of humans and animals. The toxic effects of microplastics cannot be ignored and their accumulation in the body is potentially dangerous. Therefore, scientists have used different methods to observe the morphology of microplastics in the mammal body and to detect and evaluate the levels of microplastics in the body. As a result, the toxicological consequences of plastic particles on the body are well understood. This review summarized some common methods of detecting microplastics in mammals, especially humans, by reviewing the research on microplastics conducted by different research groups in recent years. and evaluated the characteristics, detection goals, and advantages and disadvantages of each method. This establishes a more comprehensive overview of current microplastic detection technologies and can create a theoretical basis for future analysis of microplastic dynamics.

Share this paper