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Microplastic exposure in the lungs of young children and its associations with allergic rhinitis: A cross-sectional study in China
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Researchers measured microplastics in lung fluid collected from 207 children in China and found that higher concentrations of certain plastics, particularly polyamide 66, were associated with increased rates of allergic rhinitis. The association was strongest in children aged six and under. The study suggests that microplastic exposure in young lungs may be linked to a higher risk of allergic respiratory conditions in early childhood.
Exposure to microplastics (MPs) has emerged as a potential threat to chronic respiratory health. However, the association between MPs exposure and allergic rhinitis (AR) in children remains unclear. We evaluated the association between MP exposure and the prevalence of AR in children. We measured 11 types of MPs in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) collected from 207 children aged 1-16 years using pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS) in 2023. Logistic regression models were employed to evaluate the association between MP concentration and prevalence of AR. Polyamide 66 (PA66), polyethylene (PE), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and polystyrene (PS) were the predominant types detected, with median concentrations of 2.33, 0.45, 0.38, and 0.08 μg/mL in BALF, respectively. Higher concentrations of PA66 were associated with an increased prevalence of AR in all children, with odds ratios (ORs) of 3.00 (95% CI: 1.23, 7.34) after adjusting for potential confounders, indicating a statistically significant association (α < 0.05). Higher concentrations of total MP exposure ( = 0.012, = 0.310) and PA66 exposure ( = 0.012, = 0.951) were significantly associated with the prevalence of AR in children aged ≤6 years but not in those aged >6 years. Our findings suggest that exposure to MPs, particularly PA66, may be associated with a higher risk of AR in younger children. Further large-scale, community-based pediatric cohort studies are needed to elucidate the underlying mechanisms.
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