We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Toxicity Induced by Micro-and Nanoplastics through Oxidative Stress: The Role of Co-Exposure to Other Chemical Pollutants
Summary
This review examined how micro- and nanoplastics cause oxidative stress — a form of cellular damage — in living organisms, particularly when combined with other chemical pollutants in the environment. Co-exposure to microplastics and chemicals like pesticides or heavy metals tends to be more damaging than either pollutant alone.
The increasing use of plastic materials in last decades, along with difficulties in disposal management and scarce degradability, has made these contaminants ubiquitous and persistent in the environment. Their impact on aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems constitutes an emerging threat for environmental, human, and animal health. Plastics are classified in micro-and nanoplastics. Living organisms accumulate along the trophic chains the micro-and nanoplastics usually introduced through ingestion and, in some cases (for instance, mammals), also through inhalatory and dermal routes. The exposure to micro-and nanoplastics may cause adverse effects in living beings involving different biological structures and toxicity pathways.
Sign in to start a discussion.
More Papers Like This
The Impact of Micro- and Nanoplastics on Aquatic Organisms: Mechanisms of Oxidative Stress and Implications for Human Health—A Review
This review examines how microplastics and nanoplastics cause oxidative stress, a harmful chemical imbalance, in aquatic organisms from plankton to fish. These tiny plastics accumulate in the food chain and may reach humans through seafood consumption. While the evidence of harm in aquatic species is growing, more research is needed to fully understand the implications for human health.
Do microplastics induce oxidative stress in marine invertebrates?
This review examined whether marine invertebrates exposed to microplastics show evidence of oxidative stress — a common cellular response to toxic injury — finding support for this effect across multiple species and polymer types. Oxidative stress is a key mechanism by which microplastics may harm marine organisms.
Microplastics and Oxidative Stress—Current Problems and Prospects
This review examines how microplastics cause oxidative stress, a condition where harmful molecules called free radicals damage cells. Microplastics have been linked to DNA damage, cell membrane disruption, mitochondrial problems, inflammation, and cell death, all driven by oxidative stress. These effects may contribute to serious health conditions including cancer and cardiovascular disease, though the authors note that more research is needed to fully understand the risks.
Microplastics and human health: unraveling the toxicological pathways and implications for public health
This review pulls together recent research on how microplastics enter the human body and cause cellular damage through inflammation, oxidative stress, and direct cell injury. The authors highlight that microplastics can also amplify the harmful effects of other environmental pollutants they carry, creating combined health risks that are greater than either threat alone.
Toxicological interactions of microplastics/nanoplastics and environmental contaminants: Current knowledge and future perspectives
This review examines how the combined presence of micro- and nanoplastics with other environmental contaminants like heavy metals, pesticides, and pharmaceuticals affects toxicity. Researchers found that plastic particles can alter the bioavailability and toxic effects of co-occurring pollutants, sometimes increasing harm to organisms, which complicates environmental risk assessment.