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

Yudong Feng; Chen Tu; Ruijie Li; Di Wu; Jie Yang; Yankai Xia; Willie J G M Peijnenburg; Yongming Luo

doi:10.1016/j.eehl.2023.08.002

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

Eco Environ Health. 2023 Aug 21;2(4):195-207. doi: 10.1016/j.eehl.2023.08.002. eCollection 2023 Dec.

Authors

Yudong Feng^{1

2}, Chen Tu^{1

2}, Ruijie Li^{1

2}, Di Wu^{3

4}, Jie Yang^{1

2}, Yankai Xia^{3

4}, Willie J G M Peijnenburg^{5

6}, Yongming Luo^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ CAS Key Laboratory of Soil Environment and Pollution Remediation, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China.
² University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
³ State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Center for Global Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China.
⁴ Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology of Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China.
⁵ National Institute of Public Health and the Environment, Center for Safety of Substances and Products, Bilthoven, the Netherlands.
⁶ Institute of Environmental Sciences (CML), Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands.

Abstract

Micro- and nano-plastics (MNPs) pollution has become a pressing global environmental issue, with growing concerns regarding its impact on human health. However, evidence on the effects of MNPs on human health remains limited. This paper reviews the three routes of human exposure to MNPs, which include ingestion, inhalation, and dermal contact. It further discusses the potential routes of translocation of MNPs in human lungs, intestines, and skin, analyses the potential impact of MNPs on the homeostasis of human organ systems, and provides an outlook on future research priorities for MNPs in human health. There is growing evidence that MNPs are present in human tissues or fluids. Lab studies, including in vivo animal models and in vitro human-derived cell cultures, revealed that MNPs exposure could negatively affect human health. MNPs exposure could cause oxidative stress, cytotoxicity, disruption of internal barriers like the intestinal, the air-blood and the placental barrier, tissue damage, as well as immune homeostasis imbalance, endocrine disruption, and reproductive and developmental toxicity. Limitedly available epidemiological studies suggest that disorders like lung nodules, asthma, and blood thrombus might be caused or exacerbated by MNPs exposure. However, direct evidence for the effects of MNPs on human health is still scarce, and future research in this area is needed to provide quantitative support for assessing the risk of MNPs to human health.

Keywords: Environmental exposure; Health effects; Human system homeostasis; Microplastics; Nanoplastics; Risk assessment.

Publication types

Review