Microplastics and Nanoplastics as Environmental Contaminants of Emerging Concern: Potential Hazards for Human Health

Rita Khanna (), Abhilash Chandra, Shaundeep Sen, Yuri Konyukhov, Erick Fuentes, Igor Burmistrov and Maksim Kravchenko
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Rita Khanna: School of Materials Science and Engineering (Ret.), The University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
Abhilash Chandra: University of Adelaide-Flinders University, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia
Shaundeep Sen: Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2050, Australia
Yuri Konyukhov: Department of Enrichment and Processing of Minerals and Technogenic Raw Materials, National University of Science and Technology “MISIS”, Moscow 119049, Russia
Erick Fuentes: Concord Cancer Centre, Concord Repatriation General Hospital, Concord, Sydney, NSW 2139, Australia
Igor Burmistrov: Engineering Centre, Plekhanov Russian University of Economics, Moscow 117997, Russia
Maksim Kravchenko: Moscow Power Engineering Institute, National Research University, Moscow 111250, Russia

Sustainability, 2024, vol. 16, issue 19, 1-20

Abstract: With nearly 40% of the total plastics produced being used for packaging, up to five trillion plastic bags are consumed in the world annually. The inadequate disposal of plastic waste and its persistence has become a serious challenge/risk to the environment, health, and well-being of living creatures, including humans. The natural degradation of plastics is extremely slow; large pieces of plastic may break down into microplastics (MPs) (1 μm–5 mm) or nanoplastics (NPs) (<1000 nm) after protracted physical, chemical, and/or biological degradations. A brief overview of the transport of micro- and nanoplastics in the aquatic, terrestrial, and atmospheric environments is presented. Details are provided on the exposure routes for these waste materials and their entry into humans and other biota through ingestion, inhalation, and dermal contact. The greatest concern is the cumulative impact of the heterogeneous secondary MPs and NPs on planetary and human health. Inhaled MPs and NPs have been shown to affect the upper respiratory tract, lower respiratory tract, and alveoli; prolonged exposure can lead to chronic inflammatory changes and systemic disease. These can also lead to autoimmune diseases and other chronic health conditions, including atherosclerosis and malignancy. Sustainable mitigation strategies to reduce the impact of MPs/NPs include source reduction, material substitution, filtration and purification, transformation of plastic waste into value-added materials, technological innovations, etc. Multidisciplinary collaborations across the fields of medicine, public health, environmental science, economics, and policy are required to help limit the detrimental effects of widespread MPs and NPs in the environment.

Keywords: microplastics; nanoplastics; transport; health impact; environment; mitigation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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