Exploring the Effects of Microplastic Pollution on Human Health

Research Overview:

This research outlines the issue of Microplastics in the water, soil, air, and how humans accumulate these particles in their bodies. It also examines the adverse effects of microplastics on the human body and the environment.

My Research Question:

What do we understand about microplastics and their effects on human health?

What We Know:

Figure 1

Microplastic migration paths from creation to disposal

(Dewika et al 2023).

Effects on the Environment:

For years, plastic pollution has been researched and studied, proving that it has a negative effect on our environment. However, another new plastic pollution problem has been discovered: microplastics. Microplastics are a phenomenon that we are just beginning to understand. While the full adverse affects of microplastics on the environment are just beginning to be realized, many studies suggest that microplastics are having a widespread and profoundly adverse effect on our environment and ecosystem:

Microplastics have been found in air, water, land, all levels of the food web, and even the most remote locations in the world (McIlwraith et al., 2021). (See figure 1).
Out of 68 countries that were studied for microplastic presence, all 68 were found to have some level of microplastic contamination (Li et al., 2023). (See figure 2).
Studies reveal that microplastic negatively impact the carbon cycle, leading to more greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere (Li et al., 2023). (See figure 3).

Figure 2

Geographical distribution of microplastics based on concentration in sediment across various countries (Li et al., 2023).

Figure 3

Effects of microplastic contamination on the carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulfur cycles in sediment (Li et. al., 2023).

Figure 4

Microplastic ingestion and affected human body parts (Dewika et al 2023).

Effects on Humans:

Due to the adverse effects of microplastics on human health, there is becoming an increased demand for research. Consequently, more research is desperately needed to better understand their effects on human health. Furthermore, the studies that have been published have made connections between microplastics and serious health issues:

One study linked microplastics to many negative health effects, such as: inflammation, genotoxicity, and oxidative stress, which can eventually lead to cancer, heart disease, arthritis, genetic damage, mutations, diabetes, and stroke. (Dybas, 2020).
Microplastic ingestion through inhalation of microfibers are being linked to respiratory diseases on a cellular level (Dewika et al 2023).
Physical abrasion and leaching of microplastics are two factors that can be linked to immune responses and cytotoxicity (Blackburn 2022).

Gaps in Research and Knowledge:

Microplastic research is still in its infancy. More research is needed to prove an even stronger connection between microplastics and negative health effects.
Microplastic regulation is still under development. Governing bodies are still largely unaware of the true threat proposed by microplastics, and only very limited action has been taken to slow the spread of microplastics.
Using human biomarkers to examine microplastic contamination is desperately needed. By using human biomarkers in regards to microplastics, we can effectively evaluate their impacts on human health and create meaningful legislation to slow their spread (Zuri et al 2023).

Methods and Justification:

With the understanding of the effects of microplastics on human health still in its earliest stages, comprehensive surveys of public engagement and understanding of microplastics are desperately needed. Public surveys would reveal a diverse array of perspectives, behaviors, and concerns regarding microplastics and their associated health implications. By using this data, researchers, educators, and scientists can better understand public perceptions of microplastics, and focus their efforts in a more effective and efficient way. Furthermore, a survey is also a valuable tool for raising awareness, garnering support, and spreading information to the public. By integrating community perspectives through comprehensive surveys, valuable information would be added to the foundation of our understanding of microplastics. In turn, this could lead to effective research, policy making, and safeguarding human and animal health.

References:

Blackburn, K., & Green, D. (2022). The potential effects of microplastics on human health: What is known and what is unknown. Ambio, 51(3), 518–530. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13280-021-01589-9

Dewika, M., Markandan, K., Irfan, N. A., Mohd Abdah, M. A. A., Ruwaida, J. N., Sara, Y. Y., & Khalid, M. (2023). Review of microplastics in the indoor environment: Distribution, human exposure and potential health impacts. Chemosphere, 324, 138270. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.138270

Dybas, C. L. (2020). Silent Scourge: Microplastics in Water, Food, and Air. BioScience, 70(12), 1048–1055. https://doi.org/10.1093/biosci/biaa119

Li, Y., Wu, M., Li, H., Xue, H., Tao, J., Li, M., Wang, F., Li, Y., Wang, J., & Li, S. (2023). Current advances in microplastic contamination in aquatic sediment: Analytical methods, global occurrence, and effects on elemental cycling. TrAC Trends in Analytical Chemistry, 168, 117331. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trac.2023.117331

McIlwraith, H. K., Hataley, E., & Rochman, C. M. (2021). Towards a management strategy for microplastic pollution in the Laurentian Great Lakes—Monitoring (Part 1). Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, cjfas-2023-0022. https://doi.org/10.1139/cjfas-2023-0022

Zuri, G., Karanasiou, A., & Lacorte, S. (2023a). Human biomonitoring of microplastics and health implications: A review. Environmental Research, 237, 116966. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2023.116966

Zuri, G., Karanasiou, A., & Lacorte, S. (2023b). Microplastics: Human exposure assessment through air, water, and food. Environment International, 179, 108150. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2023.108150

Cover Image: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/newborn-hawaii-beach-already-polluted-with-plastic