An emerging class of air pollutants: Potential effects of microplastics to respiratory human health?

Luís Fernando Amato-Lourenço,Luciana Dos Santos Galvão,Letty A De Weger,Pieter S Hiemstra,Martina G Vijver,Thais Mauad

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.141676

Abstract

It is increasingly recognized that the ubiquity of convenient single-use plastic has resulted in a global plastic pollution challenge, with substantial environmental and health consequences. Physical, chemical, and biological processes result in plastic weathering, with eventual formation of debris in the micro to nano size range. There is an increasing awareness that plastic fragments are dispersed in the air and can be inhaled by humans, which may cause adverse effects on the respiratory system and on other systems. Urban environments are often characterized by high concentrations of fine airborne dust from various sources. To date, however, there is limited information on the distribution, shape, and size of microplastics in the air in urban and other environments. In this article, we review and discuss our current understanding of the exposure characteristics of airborne plastic debris in urbanized areas, focusing on concentration, size, morphology, presence of additives and distributions of different polymers. The natural and extend data are compiled and compared to laboratory-based analyses to further our understanding of the potential adverse effects of inhaled plastic particles on human health.

Highlights

It is increasingly recognized that the ubiquity of convenient single-use plastic has resulted in a global plastic pollution challenge, with substantial environmental and health consequences
Chemical, and biological processes result in plastic weathering, with eventual formation of debris in the micro to nano size range
We review and discuss our current understanding of the exposure characteristics of airborne plastic debris in urbanized areas, focusing on concentration, size, morphology, presence of additives and distributions of different polymers

Summary

Potential effects on human health

Several studies have been published in recent years showing that MPs can have a deleterious toxicological effect on marine organisms through, for example, accumulation, obstruction, and inflammation in organs after translocation (Lei et al, 2018; Andrady, 2017; Syberg et al, 2017; Jeong et al, 2017; Sussarellu et al, 2016). Lung biopsies from workers exposed to different airborne synthetic fibres (acrylic, polyester (terylene) nylon) revealed different degrees of inflammation, granulomas and interstitial fibrosis (Pimentel et al, 1975). These observations from occupational medicine, combined with the recent detection of MPs in airborne samples, point to a possible risk for human exposure via inhalation. These studies suggest that there may be a link between MP exposure and development of interstitial lung diseases. Further research in this area may reveal whether naturally weathered MPs could serve as a trigger

Lung cell cultures

Findings

Emerging pollutants?