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Toxicogenomic analysis of the carcinogenic potential of plastic additives
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Researchers performed a toxicogenomic analysis of 2,712 plastic additives across chemical databases, finding that over 150 have known carcinogenicity while roughly 90% lack any cancer-related safety data, and that both carcinogenic and unstudied additives share biological pathways involving DNA damage and immune disruption.
Abstract Plastics are the most prevalent human-made substance in the world and are ubiquitous throughout all ecosystems. Microscopic plastic particles are routinely ingested and inhaled by humans and other organisms. Despite the frequency of plastic exposures, little is known about their health consequences. Of particular concern are plastic additives -chemical compounds that are mixed into plastics to improve functionality or are unintentionally acquired during plastic production and use. Additives are loosely bound to the plastic polymer and may be released during plastic exposures. These compounds may pose health concerns, such as cancer, but little is known about the potential impact of these chemicals on health. To better understand the health effects of plastic additives, we performed an integrated toxicogenomic analysis on 2,712 additives, focusing on cancer as a well-studied toxicological endpoint. Screening these substances across three chemical databases revealed two key observations: 1) over 150 plastic additives have known carcinogenicity and 2) the majority (∼90%) of plastic additives lack data on carcinogenic endpoints. Analyses of additive usage patterns pinpointed specific polymers, functions, and products in which carcinogenic additives reside. Based on published chemical-gene interactions, both carcinogenic additives and additives with unknown carcinogenicity impacted similar biological pathways. The predominant pathways involved DNA damage, apoptosis, immune response, viral diseases, and cancer. This study underscores the urgent need for systematic and comprehensive carcinogenicity assessment of plastic additives and regulatory responses to mitigate the potential health risks of plastic exposure.
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The Known and Unknown: Investigating the Carcinogenic Potential of Plastic Additives
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A comprehensive analysis of 2,712 known plastic additives found that over 150 are already classified as carcinogenic, while roughly 90% have never been tested for cancer-causing potential. Both the known carcinogens and the untested additives affected similar biological pathways related to DNA damage, immune response, and cancer, suggesting the true cancer risk from plastics may be significantly underestimated.
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Researchers reviewed the environmental and health hazards of chemicals in plastic polymers and products, examining the toxicological profiles of monomers, additives, and degradation products that can leach from plastics into food, water, and the environment. The study identifies numerous plastic-associated chemicals with endocrine-disrupting, carcinogenic, or developmental toxicity potential and calls for more comprehensive safety testing of plastic formulations.
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This review examined existing evidence on the carcinogenic potential of micro- and nano-plastics, finding studies demonstrating genotoxicity, oxidative DNA damage, disruption of cell signaling, and tumor-promoting effects, while noting that direct human carcinogenicity data remain limited and mechanistic pathways require further investigation.
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Using a toxicogenomics framework, researchers catalogued 6,470 plastic additives and traced molecular pathways connecting 1,287 of them to adverse health outcomes across 27 disease categories. This approach, known as adverse outcome pathway network mapping, reveals how plastic additives may contribute to a broad range of conditions from endocrine disruption to cardiovascular disease. The findings underscore the need to regulate plastic additives not just individually but as a class based on shared mechanisms of harm.
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