Health implications of microplastic exposure and sustainable solutions

Microplastics (MPs) have become a global concern due to their ubiquitous nature and harmful effects on human health and environmental sustainability. This review aims to explore pathways of various sources of contamination of MPs due to human activities to different ecosystems, like aquatic and terrestrial, and even abiotic components, acting as a pathway to contamination in humans due to bioaccumulation. And the impact of these MPs on human health through the mechanisms involved, such as oxidative stress, disruption of gut microbiome, and inflammation, leading to these various diseases. Exploring the traditional as well as modern techniques such as Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Raman spectroscopy enable the detection of MPs in food for the detection of MPs. MPs in the food system and their alignment with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 12, 13, and 14. Sustainable Practices, regulatory policies and the role of the latest advancement in technology, such as AI-driven technologies for the detection and mitigation of MPs. Research on MPs is the trending topic nowadays, but it still lacks standardisation methods for the evaluation, quantification of these contaminants in the ecosystem and human food chain. Addressing these issues and gaps in the research will enable the future insights to develop better sustainable analogues of MPs with reduced harmful effects and proper development of a regulatory framework and execution of the policies to reduce their prevalence.

Dergi

ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES EUROPE

Yıl

2026

Cilt

38

Sayı

1

ISSN

2190-4707

eISSN

2190-4715

DOI

10.1186/s12302-025-01296-2

WoS UID

WOS:001680789800001