Environmental Microplastics Exposure and Its Biochemical Impacts on Human Oxidative Stress Markers: A Clinical Chemistry Perspective

Since the polymerization of the first synthetic resin (Bakelite) in 1907, industrial plastics have found considerable utility due to their diverse features. Over the years, the notable development of polymers and related products has turned plastic into one of the most abundant materials in modern society. Every year, various particle composites are released into the environment, generating debris with sizes down to microns or even lower. Microplastics (MPs) are solid polymer particles smaller than 5 mm. More than 150 million tons of MPs exist in the oceans. MPs can potentially cause biological effects in organisms. MPs possess diverse properties that may lead to volumetric and surface changes. MP exposure raises the level of reactive oxygen species (ROS), contributing to oxidative stress in microbes. ROS generation leads to mitochondrial damage and pro-inflammatory cytokine release, causing biological effects such as cell damage. Therefore, oxidative stress has been investigated as a potential mechanism linking MPs to harmful effects. The definition of oxidative stress, its biomarkers, and the impact of MPs on these biomarkers remain important and attractive issues to survey among many topics related to MPs.