Tiny Particles, Major Risks: An Integrative Review of Micro- and Nanoplastics Exposure and Its Medical Significance

Le résumé fourni par la source

The exceptional growth in plastic production has resulted in widespread environmental contamination by micro-and nanoplastics (MPs and NPs), raising significant concerns regarding human and animal health.Once considered chemically inert, plastics undergo continuous degradation into micro-and nano-sized particles capable of crossing biological membranes and interacting with organs and organ systems at cellular, genetic, and immunological levels.In this integrative review, we summarise current evidence on the sources, physicochemical properties, analytical detection techniques, exposure pathways, and toxicological effects of MPs and NPs, with particular emphasis on their medical and public health relevance.MPs and NPs have now been detected in air, water, soil, food, and human biological matrices, including blood, placenta, lungs, and arterial plaques.Experimental and observational studies demonstrate that exposure to MPs and NPs can induce oxidative stress, inflammation, mitochondrial dysfunction, endocrine disruption, and immune dysregulation, ultimately leading to organ-specific toxicity that affects multiple organ systems.Furthermore, animal studies indicate that chronic exposure to MPs and NPs is associated with metabolic disturbances, reproductive impairment, neurotoxicity, and ecological disruption across trophic levels.Despite advances in detection methods, including FT-IR spectroscopy and artificial intelligence-assisted techniques, substantial gaps remain in exposure assessment, dose-response relationships, and long-term health outcomes.This review highlights the urgent need to recognise MPs and NPs as emerging environmental toxicants and underscores the importance of standardised detection, biomonitoring, and preventive public health strategies to mitigate future risks.

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