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Microplastic Pollution: A Growing Threat to the Environment and Human Health
Summary
Researchers reviewed how microplastics have spread throughout the environment and the human body, finding them in food, water, air, and vital organs including the brain. Beyond physical harm, the chemicals in plastics can disrupt hormones, impair reproduction, and raise cancer risk — problems worsened by pandemic-era disposable mask waste.
Microplastics are tiny plastic particles formed through the degradation of larger plastic items and are now widely distributed across the environment.They have been detected in marine organisms, drinking water, and everyday food items such as salt, honey, and seafood.Humans are exposed to microplastics not only through ingestion but also via inhalation of airborne particles.Studies on animals have revealed that once absorbed, micro-and nanoparticles of plastic can circulate throughout the body, reaching vital organs such as the liver, spleen, heart, lungs, thymus, kidneys, reproductive organs, and even the brain, by crossing the bloodbrain barrier.Moreover, microplastics act as vectors for toxic substances like persistent organic pollutants and heavy metals, transferring these harmful agents across trophic levels.The chemicals used to make plastics, such as monomers and additives, can interfere with important biological processes in humans, possibly harming the endocrine and immune systems, lowering reproductive and developmental abilities, and increasing the risk of cancer.The COVID-19 pandemic has worsened microplastic pollution due to the massive increase in discarded personal protective equipment, particularly face masks made of polypropylene.Inadequate disposal and weak waste management systems have caused this waste to accumulate in the environment, intensifying the spread of microplastics.Without prompt Microplastic