Abstract
The widespread usage of plastic places a significant burden on the environment and impacts numerous aquatic and terrestrial species. Humans in particular can be affected by plastic pollution, predominantly via inhalation and ingestion, as well as trophic transfer along the food chain. Under natural conditions synthetic materials undergo degradation into micro- and nanoparticles, especially prone to interact with biological systems. Organisms exposed to nanoplastic accumulate it in multiple tissues, including the gut and the brain. This phenomenon raises a question about the impact of nanoparticulate plastics on the communication pathways between these organs. The aim of this review is to explore an unsettling possibility of the influence of nanoplastic on the gut-brain axis and provide a comprehensive summary of available data regarding this subject. The scarce but consistent evidence shows that exposure to plastic nanoparticles can indeed affect both the digestive and the nervous system. Reported outcomes include microbiota alterations, intestinal barrier permeability, oxidative stress, inflammation, neurotoxicity and behavioral disturbances. Taking into consideration these alarming observations and the ubiquitous presence of plastics in human environment, more research is urgently needed in order to identify any potential threats that nanoplastic exposure can pose to the functioning of the gut-brain axis.
Highlights
The current era of the Earth’s history is frequently referred to as the Plasticene, the “Plastic Age”
One of the principal phenomena of concern in regards to plastic pollutants is their degradation into smaller forms of micro- and nanoparticles, among which especially the latter are hardly studied, other nanomaterials have been shown to elicit a wide array of toxic effects
Perspectives the experimental data regarding nanoplastic impact on mammalian systems are just beginning to build up, the evidence gathered up to date sheds some light on the consequences nanoplastic particles (NPs) exposure could have for both the GI tract and the central nervous system (CNS)
Summary
The current era of the Earth’s history is frequently referred to as the Plasticene, the “Plastic Age”. A calculation made in 2014 estimated that over five trillion plastic fragments float in seas and oceans around the world [5] This enormous number becomes even more overwhelming taking into consideration the fact that a substantial part of the synthetic waste consists of particles in microscopic or smaller scale, more prone to interact directly with biological systems [2,5]. These micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs) pose a less tangible, but not less dangerous threat to organisms As it turns out, they can be harmful especially in regards to digestive and nervous systems of aquatic organisms and other elements of the food chain, probably including humans [2,6,7,8]
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