Did you know microplastics might enter the human brain through the nose, with unknown impact on brain function?
Microplastics are synthetic, high-molecular-weight compounds that have been micronized into plastic particles smaller than 5 mm in size. Such materials have a low biodegradation rate and, thus, mostly remain in the environment and adversely affect the human body, the final consumer in the food chain. In recent years, microplastics have been documented in all parts of the human lung, in maternal and fetal placental tissues, in human breast milk and human blood. These tiny bits can get absorbed into the human bloodstream. At present in the atmosphere, humans could be exposed to microplastics through inhalation. Thus, chronic exposure to low concentrations of microplastics in the air could be associated with respiratory and cardiovascular diseases depending on an individual’s susceptibility and particle characteristics. Microplastics pose potential hazards to humans and the environment. As a representative example of the risk posed by microplastics, they can cause physical and mechanical harm to marine organisms when they mistakenly ingest microplastics. In the future, in-depth research on the pollution status and hazards of marine microplastics, as well as the correlation between exposure to microplastics and diseases in humans, should be conducted and based on these findings, human health should be protected by preventing and managing microplastics.