The potential impacts of micro-and-nano plastics on various organ systems in humans
Nurshad Ali,
Jenny Katsouli,
Emma L. Marczylo,
Timothy W. Gant,
Stephanie Wright,
Jorge Bernardino de la Serna
Affiliations
Nurshad Ali
National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, Sir Alexander Fleming Building, London, SW7 2AZ, UK; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, Sylhet, 3114, Bangladesh; Corresponding author. National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, Sir Alexander Fleming Building, London, SW7 2AZ, UK.
Jenny Katsouli
National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, Sir Alexander Fleming Building, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
Emma L. Marczylo
MRC Centre for Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK; Toxicology Department, Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards, UK Health Security Agency, Harwell Campus, Chilton, Oxfordshire, OX11 0RQ, UK
Timothy W. Gant
MRC Centre for Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK; Toxicology Department, Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards, UK Health Security Agency, Harwell Campus, Chilton, Oxfordshire, OX11 0RQ, UK
Stephanie Wright
MRC Centre for Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK
Jorge Bernardino de la Serna
National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, Sir Alexander Fleming Building, London, SW7 2AZ, UK; Corresponding author.
Summary: Humans are exposed to micro-and-nano plastics (MNPs) through various routes, but the adverse health effects of MNPs on different organ systems are not yet fully understood. This review aims to provide an overview of the potential impacts of MNPs on various organ systems and identify knowledge gaps in current research. The summarized results suggest that exposure to MNPs can lead to health effects through oxidative stress, inflammation, immune dysfunction, altered biochemical and energy metabolism, impaired cell proliferation, disrupted microbial metabolic pathways, abnormal organ development, and carcinogenicity. There is limited human data on the health effects of MNPs, despite evidence from animal and cellular studies. Most of the published research has focused on specific types of MNPs to assess their toxicity, while other types of plastic particles commonly found in the environment remain unstudied. Future studies should investigate MNPs exposure by considering realistic concentrations, dose-dependent effects, individual susceptibility, and confounding factors.
