THE JOURNAL OF SCHOOL AND UNIVERSITY MEDICINE - Volume 11, Issue 2, April-June 2024

Pages: 21-31

Date of Publication: 28-Jul-2024

Print Article   Download XML  Download PDF

THE EFFECTS OF MICROPLASTIC AND NANO PLASTIC PARTICLES ON THE ENVIRONMENT AND THE HUMAN BODY

Author: Alecsandra Andreea BUDIHOI , Valeria POP , Alexandru OZUNU , Monica POPA

Category: Medical

Abstract:

Introduction: Plastic materials represent one of the main sources of waste, affecting the environment with repercussions on the human body. Until recently, this topic has not been so addressed, possibly because of many incompletely known things, but also because of the large industries that inevitably use plastic materials and want to promote and develop their businesses to their maximum potential. The following material presents the harmful effects plastic components can have on human health, which is an alarm signal for public health.

The main objective of this study is to highlight the effects of Mps and Np on human health. In carrying out our study we relied on qualitative research, while relying on a comprehensive review of existing literature and critical comparative analysis, accessing data from Science Direct, Google Scholar, journal articles, government reports, and publications of international environmental organizations, giving priority to studies published in recent years.

Results: Mps affects the reproductive system, increase the risk of vascular diseases, and last but not least these particles affect the skin, changing its normal functions. The impact that Mps and Np have on public health and also on the environment must be taken into account because these tiny particles affect all environmental factors: water, air, soil, and biodiversity.

Keywords: microplastic, nano plastic, environment, human health, risk

DOI: 10.51546/JSUM.2024.11203

DOI URL: https://doi.org/10.51546/JSUM.2024.11203

References:

[1] D. K. A. Barnes, F. Galgani, R. C. Thompson, and M. Barlaz, “Accumulation and fragmentation of plastic debris in global environments,” Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B, vol. 364, no. 1526, pp. 1985–1998, Jul. 2009, doi: 10.1098/rstb.2008.0205.

[2] L. M. Schell, M. V. Gallo, M. Denham, and J. Ravenscroft, “Effects of Pollution on Human Growth and Development: An Introduction,” J Physiol Anthropol, vol. 25, no. 1, pp. 103–112, 2006, doi: 10.2114/jpa2.25.103.

[3] ACS Chemistry for Life, “Leo Hendrick Baekeland and the Invention of Bakelite.” 1993. [Online]. Available: https://www.acs.org/education/whatischemistry/landmarks/bakelite.html

[4] World Health Organization, “WHO Health dialogue: Plastics in health care.” 2023. [Online]. Available: https://www.who.int/news-room/events/detail/2023/11/08/default-calendar/who-health-dialogue--plastics-in-health-care

[5] OECD, “Plastic pollution is growing relentlessly as waste management and recycling fall short, says OECD.” 2022. [Online]. Available: https://www.oecd.org/en/about/news/press-releases/2022/02/plastic-pollution-is-growing-relentlessly-as-waste-management-and-recycling-fall-short.html

[6] G. Suaria et al., “The Mediterranean Plastic Soup: synthetic polymers in Mediterranean surface waters,” Sci Rep, vol. 6, no. 1, p. 37551, Dec. 2016, doi: 10.1038/srep37551.

[7] M. Sewwandi, A. Kumar, S. Pallewatta, and M. Vithanage, “Microplastics in urban stormwater sediments and runoff: An essential component in the microplastic cycle,” TrAC Trends in Analytical Chemistry, p. 117824, Jun. 2024, doi: 10.1016/j.trac.2024.117824.

[8] D. Eerkes-Medrano, R. C. Thompson, and D. C. Aldridge, “Microplastics in freshwater systems: A review of the emerging threats, identification of knowledge gaps and prioritisation of research needs,” Water Research, vol. 75, pp. 63–82, May 2015, doi: 10.1016/j.watres.2015.02.012.

[9] A. Z. Abidin, E. V. Yemensia, H. P. R. Graha, and H. M. Anshari, “Identifying microplastic particle in the drinking water using Raman spectroscopy method,” presented at the THE 7TH BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING’S RECENT PROGRESS IN BIOMATERIALS, DRUGS DEVELOPMENT, AND MEDICAL DEVICES: The 15th Asian Congress on Biotechnology in conjunction with the 7th International Symposium on Biomedical Engineering (ACB-ISBE 2022), Bali, Indonesia, 2024, p. 060010. doi: 10.1063/5.0199439.

[10] A. Curtean-Banaduc, C. Mihut, A. Burcea, G. S. McCall, C. Matei, and D. B?n?duc, “Freshwater ecosystems’ benthic microplastic uptake in fish: the case study of Chondrostoma nasus (Linnaeus, 1758),” In Review, preprint, Nov. 2022. doi: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-2253909/v1.

[11] D. Dunea, “Water Quality and Anthropogenic Pressures in a Changing Environment: The Arges River Basin, Romania,” in Water Quality - Factors and Impacts, D. Dunea, Ed., IntechOpen, 2022. doi: 10.5772/intechopen.101790.

[12] P. Dwivedi, P. K. Mishra, M. K. Mondal, and N. Srivastava, “Non-biodegradable polymeric waste pyrolysis for energy recovery,” Heliyon, vol. 5, no. 8, p. e02198, Aug. 2019, doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2019.e02198.

[13] J. Gasperi et al., “Microplastics in air: Are we breathing it in?,” Current Opinion in Environmental Science & Health, vol. 1, pp. 1–5, Feb. 2018, doi: 10.1016/j.coesh.2017.10.002.

[14] Parlamentul European, “Microplastic particles: sources, effects and solutions.” 2018. [Online]. Available: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/ro/headlines/society/20181116STO19217/microplasticele-surse-efecte-si-solutii

[15] D. R. Munhoz, P. Harkes, N. Beriot, J. Larreta, and O. C. Basurko, “Microplastics: A Review of Policies and Responses,” Microplastics, vol. 2, no. 1, pp. 1–26, Dec. 2022, doi: 10.3390/microplastics2010001.

[16] M. Carbery, W. O’Connor, and T. Palanisami, “Trophic transfer of microplastics and mixed contaminants in the marine food web and implications for human health,” Environment International, vol. 115, pp. 400–409, Jun. 2018, doi: 10.1016/j.envint.2018.03.007.

[17] Q. Gan, J. Cui, and B. Jin, “Environmental microplastics: Classification, sources, fates, and effects on plants,” Chemosphere, vol. 313, p. 137559, Feb. 2023, doi: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.137559.

[18] J. R. Bermúdez and P. W. Swarzenski, “A microplastic size classification scheme aligned with universal plankton survey methods,” MethodsX, vol. 8, p. 101516, 2021, doi: 10.1016/j.mex.2021.101516.

[19] C. Jiao, J. Liao, and S. He, “An aberration-free line scan confocal Raman imager and type classification and distribution detection of microplastics,” Journal of Hazardous Materials, vol. 470, p. 134191, May 2024, doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.134191.

[20] R. Goyetche, L. Kortazar, and J. M. Amigo, “Issues with the detection and classification of microplastics in marine sediments with chemical imaging and machine learning,” TrAC Trends in Analytical Chemistry, vol. 166, p. 117221, Sep. 2023, doi: 10.1016/j.trac.2023.117221.

[21] Comisia Europeana, “COMUNICARE A COMISIEI CATRE PARLAMENTUL EUROPEAN, CONSILIU, COMITETUL ECONOMIC SI SOCIAL EUROPEAN SI COMITETUL REGIUNILOR.” 2020. [Online]. Available: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/resource.html?uri=cellar:9903b325-6388-11ea-b735-01aa75ed71a1.0011.02/DOC_1&format=PDF

[22] S. Manzoor, N. Naqash, G. Rashid, and R. Singh, “Plastic Material Degradation and Formation of Microplastic in the Environment: A Review,” Materials Today: Proceedings, vol. 56, pp. 3254–3260, 2022, doi: 10.1016/j.matpr.2021.09.379.

[23] S. R. Seyyedi, E. Kowsari, M. Gheibi, A. Chinnappan, and S. Ramakrishna, “A comprehensive review integration of digitalization and circular economy in waste management by adopting artificial intelligence approaches: Towards a simulation model,” Journal of Cleaner Production, vol. 460, p. 142584, Jul. 2024, doi: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2024.142584.

[24] Z. Yan et al., “Polystyrene microplastics alter the trophic transfer and biotoxicity of fluoxetine in an aquatic food chain,” Journal of Hazardous Materials, vol. 470, p. 134179, May 2024, doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.134179.

[25] C. M. Boateng et al., “Microplastics in the Volta Lake: Occurrence, distribution, and human health implications,” Heliyon, vol. 10, no. 7, p. e29041, Apr. 2024, doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e29041.

[26] E. C. Emenike et al., “From oceans to dinner plates: The impact of microplastics on human health,” Heliyon, vol. 9, no. 10, p. e20440, Oct. 2023, doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e20440.

[27] D. Dwiyitno, C. Schwanen, H. I. Januar, F. Ariyani, H. E. Irianto, and J. Schwarzbauer, “Microplastic profile in the sediment of Jakarta Bay estuary, Indonesia: Characterization based on size fraction and the potential risk to the ecosystem,” Regional Studies in Marine Science, vol. 73, p. 103465, Jul. 2024, doi: 10.1016/j.rsma.2024.103465.

[28] F. Javid, G. Ali, A. Rehman, R. Naeem, I. Ali, and I. Naz, “Assessment of plastic degradation by indigenous bacteria from waste disposal sites,” Emerging Contaminants, vol. 10, no. 3, p. 100323, Sep. 2024, doi: 10.1016/j.emcon.2024.100323.

[29] J. Zhai et al., “Degradation and filling modification of plastic waste for improvement of the slurryability of coal-plastic-water slurry,” Fuel, vol. 344, p. 128137, Jul. 2023, doi: 10.1016/j.fuel.2023.128137.

[30] C. Liu, J. Tang, and Z.-H. Zhang, “Impacts of capacity redundancy and process flexibility on risk mitigation in e-waste recycling supply chain management,” Omega, vol. 128, p. 103110, Oct. 2024, doi: 10.1016/j.omega.2024.103110.

[31] G. Suzuki et al., “Global discharge of microplastics from mechanical recycling of plastic waste,” Environmental Pollution, vol. 348, p. 123855, May 2024, doi: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.123855.

[32] Y. Ma, W. A. Stubbings, M. A.-E. Abdallah, R. Cline-Cole, and S. Harrad, “Formal waste treatment facilities as a source of halogenated flame retardants and organophosphate esters to the environment: A critical review with particular focus on outdoor air and soil,” Science of The Total Environment, vol. 807, p. 150747, Feb. 2022, doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.150747.

[33] S. Cui et al., “Factors influencing the distribution, risk, and transport of microplastics and heavy metals for wildlife and habitats in ‘island’ landscapes: From source to sink,” Journal of Hazardous Materials, vol. 476, p. 134938, Sep. 2024, doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.134938.

[34] C. Salazar-Pérez et al., “First insight into plastics ingestion by fish in the Gulf of California, Mexico,” Marine Pollution Bulletin, vol. 171, p. 112705, Oct. 2021, doi: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112705.

[35] F.-C. Mihai, S.-R. Ulman, and V. Pop, “Macro and microplastic pollution in Romania: addressing knowledge gaps and potential solutions under the circular economy framework,” PeerJ, vol. 12, p. e17546, Jun. 2024, doi: 10.7717/peerj.17546.

[36] D.-A. Ilutiu-Varvara, C. Aciu, C. Maria Mârza, I.-M. Sas - Boca, and M. Tintelecan, “Assessment of recycling potential of the oily mill scale in the steelmaking industry,” Procedia Manufacturing, vol. 22, pp. 228–232, 2018, doi: 10.1016/j.promfg.2018.03.035.

[37] S. Nandi, R. N. Kumar, A. Dhandapani, and J. Iqbal, “Characterization of microplastics in outdoor and indoor air in Ranchi, Jharkhand, India: First insights from the region,” Environmental Pollution, vol. 346, p. 123543, Apr. 2024, doi: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.123543.

[38] M. S. Saeed, F. Fahd, F. Khan, B. Chen, and R. Sadiq, “Human health risk model for microplastic exposure in the Arctic region,” Science of The Total Environment, vol. 895, p. 165150, Oct. 2023, doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165150.

[39] M. Kusenberg et al., “Towards high-quality petrochemical feedstocks from mixed plastic packaging waste via advanced recycling: The past, present and future,” Fuel Processing Technology, vol. 238, p. 107474, Dec. 2022, doi: 10.1016/j.fuproc.2022.107474.

[40] M. Agovino, M. Cerciello, G. Musella, and A. Garofalo, “European waste management regulations and the transition towards circular economy. A shift-and-share analysis,” Journal of Environmental Management, vol. 354, p. 120423, Mar. 2024, doi: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.120423.

[41] T. D. Yildiz, M. O. Güner, and O. Kural, “Effects of EU-Compliant mining waste regulation on Turkish mining sector: A review of characterization, classification, storage, management, recovery of mineral wastes,” Resources Policy, vol. 90, p. 104836, Mar. 2024, doi: 10.1016/j.resourpol.2024.104836.

[42] P. S. Vaisakh, U. K. Adarsh, K. Amrutha, A. K. Warrier, V. B. Kartha, and V. K. Unnikrishnan, “Integrated LIBS-Raman spectroscopy: A comprehensive approach to monitor microplastics and heavy metal contamination in water resources,” Environmental Research, vol. 231, p. 116198, Aug. 2023, doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.116198.

[43] Dobrescu E., “ROMANIAN ECONOMIC SCIENCES CELEBRATING THE CENTENARY.” 2018. [Online]. Available: https://www.isec.am/images/hayt_07052019/AnuarZane_2018.pdf

[44] A. Ozunu et al., “Case studies regarding the remediation of polluted soils from inactive industrial sites,” Environ. Eng. Manag. J., vol. 8, no. 4, pp. 923–930, 2009, doi: 10.30638/eemj.2009.133.

[45] F.-C. Mihai et al., “Plastic Pollution, Waste Management Issues, and Circular Economy Opportunities in Rural Communities,” Sustainability, vol. 14, no. 1, p. 20, Dec. 2021, doi: 10.3390/su14010020.

[46] I. O. Kunlere and K. U. Shah, “A recycling technology selection framework for evaluating the effectiveness of plastic recycling technologies for circular economy advancement,” Circular Economy, vol. 2, no. 4, p. 100066, Dec. 2023, doi: 10.1016/j.cec.2023.100066.

[47] Guvernul Romaniei, “Strategia Na?ional? privind Economia Circular?.” 2022. [Online]. Available: https://dezvoltaredurabila.gov.ro/strategia-nationala-privind-economia-circulara-13409762

[48] Curtea de conturi europeana, “Economia circular?.” 2023. [Online]. Available: https://www.eca.europa.eu/ECAPublications/SR-2023-17/SR-2023-17_RO.pdf

[49] M. Shen et al., “Recent advances in toxicological research of nanoplastics in the environment: A review,” Environmental Pollution, vol. 252, pp. 511–521, Sep. 2019, doi: 10.1016/j.envpol.2019.05.102.

[50] M. Revel, A. Châtel, and C. Mouneyrac, “Micro(nano)plastics: A threat to human health?,” Current Opinion in Environmental Science & Health, vol. 1, pp. 17–23, Feb. 2018, doi: 10.1016/j.coesh.2017.10.003.

[51] N. Döge et al., “Identification of polystyrene nanoparticle penetration across intact skin barrier as rare event at sites of focal particle aggregations,” Journal of Biophotonics, vol. 11, no. 4, p. e201700169, Apr. 2018, doi: 10.1002/jbio.201700169.

[52] S. Jatana, L. Callahan, A. Pentland, and L. DeLouise, “Impact of Cosmetic Lotions on Nanoparticle Penetration through ex Vivo C57BL/6 Hairless Mouse and Human Skin: A Comparison Study,” Cosmetics, vol. 3, no. 1, p. 6, Feb. 2016, doi: 10.3390/cosmetics3010006.

[53] L. Treuel, S. Brandholt, P. Maffre, S. Wiegele, L. Shang, and G. U. Nienhaus, “Impact of Protein Modification on the Protein Corona on Nanoparticles and Nanoparticle–Cell Interactions,” ACS Nano, vol. 8, no. 1, pp. 503–513, Jan. 2014, doi: 10.1021/nn405019v.

[54] M. S.-L. Yee et al., “Impact of Microplastics and Nanoplastics on Human Health,” Nanomaterials, vol. 11, no. 2, p. 496, Feb. 2021, doi: 10.3390/nano11020496.

[55] P. M. Gopinath et al., “Prospects on the nano-plastic particles internalization and induction of cellular response in human keratinocytes,” Part Fibre Toxicol, vol. 18, no. 1, p. 35, Dec. 2021, doi: 10.1186/s12989-021-00428-9.

[56] R. Marfella et al., “Microplastics and Nanoplastics in Atheromas and Cardiovascular Events,” N Engl J Med, vol. 390, no. 10, pp. 900–910, Mar. 2024, doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa2309822.

[57] J. Yan et al., “Toxic vascular effects of polystyrene microplastic exposure,” Science of The Total Environment, vol. 905, p. 167215, Dec. 2023, doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.167215.

[58] T. Wang et al., “Multimodal detection and analysis of microplastics in human thrombi from multiple anatomically distinct sites,” eBioMedicine, vol. 103, p. 105118, May 2024, doi: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2024.105118.

[59] C. J. Hu et al., “Microplastic presence in dog and human testis and its potential association with sperm count and weights of testis and epididymis,” Toxicological Sciences, p. kfae060, May 2024, doi: 10.1093/toxsci/kfae060.

[60] Max Roser, “Population momentum: If the number of children per woman is falling, why is the population still increasing?” 2019. [Online]. Available: https://ourworldindata.org/population-momentum

[61] A. Herrera, “Contaminación Global Por Plásticos: Estadísticas Y Datos Actualizados,” 2023, [Online]. Available: https://ecologiadigital.bio/cuales-son-las-estadisticas-de-contaminacion-por-plasticos-a-nivel-global/

[62] Ministerul Mediului, “Directiva UE 2015/720.” 2015. [Online]. Available: https://www.cdep.ro/proiecte/2018/000/40/8/conc61.pdf

[63] The Lancet, “Ending plastic pollution: an opportunity for health,” The Lancet, vol. 403, no. 10440, p. 1951, May 2024, doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(24)01018-3.

[64] B. J. Seewoo et al., “The plastic health map: A systematic evidence map of human health studies on plastic-associated chemicals,” Environment International, vol. 181, p. 108225, Nov. 2023, doi: 10.1016/j.envint.2023.108225.