Human Health Effects

A global estimate of multiecosystem photosynthesis losses under microplastic pollution

This meta-analysis pooled data from over 3,200 measurements and found that microplastic pollution reduces photosynthesis by 7–12% in plants and algae worldwide. This matters because less photosynthesis means lower crop yields and disrupted ecosystems, which can ultimately affect food security and human nutrition.

Birds as Bioindicators: Revealing the Widespread Impact of Microplastics

This systematic review found microplastics in over 200 bird species across the globe, from Antarctica to South Europe. Birds can suffer gut damage, oxidative stress, and toxic chemical buildup from ingesting plastics — a warning sign for broader ecosystem and food chain contamination that could affect humans too.

The neurotoxic threat of micro- and nanoplastics: evidence from In Vitro and In Vivo models

This systematic review examined 26 studies showing that micro- and nanoplastics can cross into the brain, damage neurons, and trigger inflammation in lab and animal models. These findings raise concerns that long-term plastic exposure could contribute to neurological problems in humans, though more research is needed.

Are microplastics bad for your health? More rigorous science is needed

Machine Learning Advancements and Strategies in Microplastic and Nanoplastic Detection

This systematic review looks at how machine learning is improving our ability to detect tiny microplastics and nanoplastics in the environment. Better detection methods matter because accurately measuring plastic contamination is the first step toward understanding — and reducing — human exposure.

A systematic review of industrial wastewater management: Evaluating challenges and enablers

This systematic review of 66 studies on industrial wastewater management found that while treatment technologies are advancing, major challenges remain in regulation enforcement, cost-effectiveness, and integration of circular economy principles. The research highlights that inadequate industrial wastewater treatment is a significant source of environmental pollutants, including microplastics, entering waterways.

Micro/nanoplastics pollution poses a potential threat to soil health

This large meta-analysis of over 5,000 observations found that micro- and nanoplastics in soil harm crop growth, soil organisms, and microbial communities while increasing greenhouse gas emissions. The findings suggest that plastic pollution poses a broad threat to soil health, which could ultimately affect food production and human well-being.

Occurrence, transport, and toxicity of microplastics in tropical food chains: perspectives view and way forward

This systematic review of 206 publications found that microplastics move through both aquatic and terrestrial food chains, accumulating as they transfer from lower to higher trophic levels. The interactions between microorganisms and microplastics facilitate the transport of associated pollutants like heavy metals and persistent organic pollutants to top predators, including humans who consume contaminated food.

A systematic review of the impacts of exposure to micro- and nano-plastics on human tissue accumulation and health

This systematic review found growing evidence that micro- and nanoplastics accumulate in human tissues including lungs, gut, and blood, with lab studies showing potential disruption to immune, reproductive, endocrine, and nervous systems. The review identifies ingestion, inhalation, and dermal contact as the three main exposure routes and highlights that the smallest nanoplastic particles pose the greatest concern due to their ability to cross biological barriers.

Systematic review of microplastics and nanoplastics in indoor and outdoor air: identifying a framework and data needs for quantifying human inhalation exposures

This systematic review is the first to examine microplastic levels in both indoor and outdoor air and estimate how much people inhale. The findings suggest we are breathing in microplastic particles daily, with indoor air often containing higher concentrations due to synthetic textiles and household materials.

Do Added Microplastics, Native Soil Properties, and Prevailing Climatic Conditions Have Consequences for Carbon and Nitrogen Contents in Soil? A Global Data Synthesis of Pot and Greenhouse Studies

This meta-analysis examined how microplastics affect carbon and nitrogen levels in soil, which are key to soil fertility. The results show that certain types of plastics — especially smaller, fiber-shaped particles — can significantly alter soil chemistry, potentially affecting crop growth and soil health.

A Systematic Review on Microplastic Contamination in Fishes of Asia: Polymeric Risk Assessment and Future Prospectives

This systematic review found widespread microplastic contamination in freshwater and saltwater fish across Asia, with polyethylene and polypropylene being the most common plastic types. Since fish is a major protein source for billions of people, this contamination represents a direct pathway for microplastics to enter the human diet.

Biochar-mediated remediation of uranium-contaminated soils: evidence, mechanisms, and perspectives

This meta-analysis found that adding biochar to uranium-contaminated soils significantly reduced uranium bioavailability by about 59% and shoot uranium accumulation by about 40%. Biochar works through adsorption, complexation, and by enhancing soil microbial communities, demonstrating its potential as a practical remediation tool for heavy metal contamination in agricultural lands.

Landmark study links microplastics to serious health problems

A global meta-analysis of phthalate esters in drinking water sources and associated health risks

This meta-analysis examined phthalate levels — chemicals that leach from plastics — in drinking water sources around the world. Several phthalates exceeded safe limits in certain regions, posing potential health risks including hormone disruption and cancer, especially with long-term exposure.

Effects of Microplastic Exposure on Human Digestive, Reproductive, and Respiratory Health: A Rapid Systematic Review

This systematic review examined studies on how microplastic exposure affects human digestive, reproductive, and respiratory health. Early evidence suggests links to gut inflammation, reproductive issues, and lung irritation, though the review notes that more high-quality human studies are urgently needed.

An Umbrella Review of Meta-Analyses Evaluating Associations between Human Health and Exposure to Major Classes of Plastic-Associated Chemicals

This umbrella review — a review of existing meta-analyses — assessed the health effects of chemicals found in plastics, including BPA, phthalates, and PFAS. The evidence links these plastic-associated chemicals to hormonal disruption, reproductive problems, metabolic issues, and increased cancer risk across many studies.

Global Responses of Soil Carbon Dynamics to Microplastic Exposure: A Data Synthesis of Laboratory Studies

This meta-analysis combined data from 110 studies to understand how microplastics change the way carbon moves through soil. The findings suggest that plastic pollution can disrupt natural soil processes, which may affect soil health and the planet's ability to store carbon.

The effects of microplastics on heavy metals bioavailability in soils: a meta-analysis

This meta-analysis of 790 data sets found that microplastics can increase the availability of toxic heavy metals like copper, lead, and cadmium in soil. This means plastic pollution may make it easier for dangerous metals to enter the food chain through crops, potentially increasing health risks for people.

Microplastics may increase the environmental risks of Cd via promoting Cd uptake by plants: A meta-analysis

This meta-analysis found that microplastics in soil can increase how much cadmium (a toxic heavy metal) plants absorb. This is concerning because it means microplastic pollution could make our food crops more contaminated with heavy metals, adding another health risk on top of the plastics themselves.

Bioaccumulation of microplastics in decedent human brains

Researchers found microplastics in human brain, liver, and kidney tissue samples, with plastic levels significantly higher in samples from 2024 compared to 2016. The brain contained especially high levels of polyethylene, and brains from people with dementia had even more plastic accumulation. These findings suggest that microplastics are building up in human organs over time, raising urgent questions about potential health effects.

Assessing the Efficacy of Pyrolysis–Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry for Nanoplastic and Microplastic Analysis in Human Blood

Researchers tested whether a common lab technique (pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry) can reliably measure nanoplastics in human blood. They found that realistic detection limits were up to 20 times higher than ideal conditions suggest, and certain common plastics like polyethylene produced false readings due to interference from blood components. The study concludes that better analytical methods are needed before we can accurately measure plastic levels in human blood.

Microplastics comprehensive review: Impact on honey bee, occurrence in honey and health risk evaluation

This systematic review examines how microplastics contaminate honey through bees and their environment. The findings show that bees accumulate microplastics from polluted air, water, and soil, which can then end up in honey — a product many people consume for its health benefits.

Microplastics in terrestrial ecosystems: sources, transport, fate, mitigation, and remediation strategies

This review examines how microplastics from urban, agricultural, and industrial sources are building up in soils worldwide. Wind, water, and soil organisms transport these particles across landscapes, where they persist and can affect soil structure and the health of living things. The authors highlight that land-based microplastic pollution has received far less attention than ocean pollution, despite its potential risks to ecosystems and human health through the food chain.