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Tracing the journey of nano- and microplastics: from environmental prevalence to human intake
Summary
This review synthesizes the sources, transport pathways, physicochemical properties, and dietary intake estimates for nano- and microplastics across environmental compartments and food categories, identifying fibers and fragments from polyethylene, polypropylene, and polystyrene as dominant forms reaching the human food chain through seafood, produce, and processed foods. Quantifying estimated daily intake across age groups and food types is essential groundwork for setting regulatory exposure limits and evaluating the cumulative health risks of microplastic ingestion.
Nano- and microplastics (NMPs) are emerging environmental pollutants of growing concern due to their persistence and widespread presence across ecological and food systems. Environmental NMP pollution is primarily attributed to anthropogenic activities such as tire abrasion, textile washing, agricultural practices, and industrial discharge. Once released into the environment, NMPs undergo complex transport processes, such as deposition and leaching, that contribute to their ubiquity and accumulation across environmental compartments. NMPs can infiltrate the human food chain through seafood, agricultural produce, and processed food, raising concerns about long-term health risks. This review aims to comprehensively synthesize recent findings on the sources, distribution, physicochemical properties of NMPs from the environment to various dietary sources. Special attention is provided to identifying dominant sources and polymer types and assessing human exposure through ingestion. Current gaps in detection and quantification methodologies are also discussed. Fibers and fragments were the most frequently reported NMP shapes, with polyethylene, polypropylene, and polystyrene as the predominant polymers detected across the environment and food, due to contamination from soil, irrigation water, and airborne deposition. This review provides updated estimated daily intake (EDI) of NMPs across different food categories and age groups, based on current contamination data. In addition, we noticed that the lack of standardized analytical methodologies continues to hinder cross-study comparability and accurate exposure assessment. This review suggests an urgent need to harmonize detection protocols to enhance risk assessment and regulatory decision-making. Overall, this review offers an integrated perspective on environmental and dietary pathways of NMP exposure by incorporating recent data and outlines critical research priorities for future risk assessment.