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Plastamination, Human Health, and Countries’ Cultural Orientation: An Exploratory Study on Prevention Strategies and Organizational Policies and Practices

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 2026
Giuseppe Perna, Rosaria Meccariello, Luisa Varriale

Summary

Researchers conducted a systematic bibliometric review of microplastic and nanoplastic contamination (plastamination) literature from 1974 to 2025, examining biological, medical, engineering, and cultural dimensions of the problem, and finding that integrated multidisciplinary approaches linking technology, culture, and medicine are essential for developing effective global prevention strategies and organizational policies.

In recent decades, the increasingly widespread diffusion of plastic contamination (plastamination) has attracted growing attention from both the scientific and public community due to its harmful effects on human health and environmental balance. Several studies have highlighted a link between exposure to microplastics and nanoplastics and the onset of central nervous system problems, impaired reproductive function, altered liver metabolism, dysbiosis and other chronic diseases. At the same time, research has highlighted how plastamination negatively impacts natural ecosystems, accelerating biodiversity loss and compromising the stability of the planet. Faced with these critical issues, scientific and professional debate has progressively shifted toward defining effective and sustainable strategies, often based on innovative technologies, aimed at limiting the overall impact of this global phenomenon. This study, consisting of a systematic literature review through a bibliometric analysis in the Web of Science database (1974–June 2025), aims to examine plastamination through a broad and integrated approach, combining biological, medical, engineering, managerial and cultural perspectives, to offer a systematic and multidimensional reading of the problem. Preliminary findings underscore the importance of an integrated vision that brings together technology, culture, society, and medicine, emphasizing the need for shared global policies and collective responsibility. The study thus aims to offer an innovative contribution to the understanding of plastamination and to the definition of multidimensional intervention strategies to address one of the most pressing challenges of our time.

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