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Microplastics Pollution: Health Hazards
Summary
This review pulls together existing research on how tiny plastic particles from everyday items like clothing get into our bodies through the food we eat, the air we breathe, and even our skin. These microplastics often carry harmful chemicals like dyes and flame retardants, and studies suggest they may trigger cell damage, inflammation, and disrupt the healthy bacteria in our gut. While scientists are still working out the full picture, this matters because it highlights an everyday exposure most people don't think about, one that may quietly affect long-term health.
Microplastic pollution represents a significant environmental and public health issue, with growing evidence associating microplastics with negative health impacts on humans. This chapter discusses the complex issue of microplastics as a health risk, emphasizing their sources from textiles, potential pathways of human exposure, and related toxicological mechanisms. Furthermore, the functionalized materials contain various hazardous chemical additives, including dyes, flame retardants, and finishing chemicals, many of which are recognized for their toxic, mutagenic, or endocrine-disrupting characteristics. Human exposure occurs through three primary routes: ingestion, inhalation, and dermal contact are discussed. This chapter also discusses how microplastics can induce oxidative stress, inflammation, cytotoxicity, and potentially disrupt gut microbiota. This chapter offers an overview of the toxicological pathways by which microplastics and their associated chemicals affect human health.