We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
A Review of Microplastics in Table Salt, Drinking Water, and Air: Direct Human Exposure
AI summary Read the abstract
This review examined 46 studies on microplastics found in table salt, drinking water, and air to estimate total human exposure. Researchers found that inhalation, particularly of indoor air, is the largest source of microplastic exposure, with estimates reaching up to 30 million particles per person per year. The study calls for urgent research into the potential health effects of this lifetime inevitable exposure to microplastics.
The ubiquity of microplastics in aquatic and terrestrial environments and related ecological impacts have gained global attention. Microplastics have been detected in table salt, drinking water, and air, posing inevitable human exposure risk. However, rigorous analytical methods for detection and characterization of microplastics remain scarce. Knowledge about the potential adverse effects on human health via dietary and respiratory exposures is also limited. To address these issues, we reviewed 46 publications concerning abundances, potential sources, and analytical methods of microplastics in table salt, drinking water, and air. We also summarized probable translocation and accumulation pathways of microplastics within human body. Human body burdens of microplastics through table salt, drinking water, and inhalation were estimated to be (0-7.3)×104, (0-4.7)×103, and (0-3.0)×107 items per person per year, respectively. The intake of microplastics via inhalation, especially via indoor air, was much higher than those via other exposure routes. Moreover, microplastics in the air impose threats to both respiratory and digestive systems through breathing and ingestion. Given the lifetime inevitable exposure to microplastics, we urgently call for a better understanding of the potential hazards of microplastics to human health.
More Papers Like This
Review of microplastics in the indoor environment: Distribution, human exposure and potential health impacts
AI summary Read the abstract
This review comprehensively analyzes microplastic contamination in indoor environments, where most people spend the majority of their time. Researchers found that indoor exposure to microplastics comes from multiple sources including dust, air, drinking water, and food, with finer particles posing the greatest concern because they can enter the bloodstream and organs. The findings suggest that indoor microplastic exposure represents a meaningful but understudied health risk that requires further research into mitigation strategies.
Exposure routes of microplastics (MPs) to humans and possible risks of MPs to human health from food and the environment: a short review
AI summary Read the abstract
This review summarizes how microplastics reach humans through food, water, and air, and discusses their potential health effects. Researchers found that seafood, drinking water, and airborne dust are the primary exposure routes, with microplastics carrying additional chemical contaminants that may amplify their harm. The study emphasizes the need for more research into the long-term health consequences of chronic microplastic exposure in humans.
Microplastics in food: scoping review on health effects, occurrence, and human exposure
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers reviewed evidence on microplastic contamination across many types of food and found that humans may ingest hundreds of thousands of microplastic particles per year through everyday foods including water and salt. The health effects remain unclear, but the widespread contamination creates a basis for ongoing, chronic exposure.
Microplastic contamination of salt intended for human consumption: a systematic review and meta-analysis
AI summary Read the abstract
This systematic review and meta-analysis examined microplastic contamination in table salt from around the world. It found that microplastics are present in most salt products intended for human consumption, with sea salt generally containing more particles than rock or lake salt, representing a consistent source of dietary microplastic exposure.
Study of suspended microplastics in indoor air to assess human exposure through inhalation
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers investigated suspended microplastics in indoor air to assess the extent of human exposure through inhalation. The study quantified airborne microplastic particles in indoor settings, providing data on a potentially important but understudied route of daily microplastic intake for the general population.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.