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Microplastic and nanoplastic transfer, accumulation, and toxicity in humans
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Researchers reviewed human exposure routes to micro- and nanoplastics — via air, water, and food — and summarized reported toxicological outcomes, identifying ingestion and inhalation as primary entry points and flagging oxidative stress, inflammation, and endocrine disruption as key health concerns warranting further study.
Plastics impact our daily lives. Unfortunately, it is the disuse and disposal of these items that may affect us the greatest. Plastic micro- and nanosized particles, likely from bulk degradation, have been identified in air pollution and water sources. Recently, plastic particles have also been identified in consumable products. The purpose of this review is to identify the likely routes of human exposure, the toxicological outcomes and concerns currently reported, and to provide some considerations for future assessments.
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The Impact of Microplastic on Human Health
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This review synthesized evidence on microplastic exposure pathways and health effects in humans, finding that microplastics enter the body via ingestion, inhalation, and dermal contact and are associated with oxidative stress, inflammation, genotoxicity, and endocrine disruption.
A review on microplastics and nanoplastics in the environment: Their occurrence, exposure routes, toxic studies, and potential effects on human health
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This review summarizes what is known about how microplastics and nanoplastics enter the human body through food, air, and skin contact, and what they do once inside. Studies on cells and animals show these tiny particles can cause oxidative stress, DNA damage, inflammation, and harm to the immune, digestive, reproductive, and nervous systems. The research makes clear that microplastics are not just an environmental problem but a direct concern for human health.
Microplastics and human health: a narrative review of current evidence, knowledge gaps, and future research directions
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Researchers synthesized a decade of evidence on human microplastic exposure and found that ingestion and inhalation are the primary routes, with experimental data pointing to oxidative stress, inflammation, and potential gastrointestinal and reproductive effects — while calling out inconsistent detection methods and the absence of long-term epidemiological data as critical gaps.
Understanding the human health impacts of environmental micro- and nanoplastics
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This review summarized current understanding of how micro- and nanoplastic particles enter the human body through food and air, accumulate in tissues, and cause health effects through oxidative stress, inflammation, and endocrine disruption, with a focus on gaps in knowledge about long-term human health impacts.
Exposure Pathways, Systemic Distribution, and Health Implications of Micro- and Nanoplastics in Humans
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This review summarizes how micro- and nanoplastics enter the human body through food, air, and skin, then distribute to organs throughout the body. Research in animal and cell models shows these particles can cause oxidative stress, inflammation, brain toxicity, reproductive problems, and potentially cancer, though standardized methods for assessing real-world human health risks are still needed.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.