Detection, exposure characteristics, and health risks of microplastics in human body: Progress and perspectives
- VernacularTitle:微塑料在人体中的检测、暴露特征与健康风险：进展与展望
- Author:
Ruoheng DING
1
;
Qian BIAN
2
Author Information
- Publication Type:Review
- Keywords: microplastic; biological sample; health risk; exposure characteristic; detection technique
- From: Journal of Environmental and Occupational Medicine 2025;42(8):978-986
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
- Abstract: Microplastics have been identified as one of the four major emerging global pollutants, with its associated health risks becoming a forefront scientific issue in the fields of public health and ecological safety. Large amounts of microplastics have been detected in various environmental media, food products, and daily-use commodities which are in frequent contact with humans. Three primary pathways of human exposure to microplastics are inhalation, ingestion, and dermal contact. Current available studies have revealed that microplastics with diverse morphologies and dimensions have been identified in many human biological samples, including blood, liver, and placenta by spectroscopic and mass spectrometric techniques. However, the potential implications of microplastics on human health remain largely undefined. This review summarized and compared the exposure levels, size distributions, morphological characteristics, and chemical compositions of microplastics in different human tissues and organs. It also summarized current common analytical techniques for detecting microplastics in human biological samples, and analyzed the potential adverse effects of microplastic deposition on human tissues and organs. Finally, the limitations of current research were discussed, and a prospective outlook was provided on how to scientifically and effectively conduct investigation of microplastics in human populations.
