Department of Pediatrics, Hindalco Hospital, Renukoot, Uttar Pradesh, India.
Indian J Pediatr. 2018 May;85(5):384-389. doi: 10.1007/s12098-017-2595-7. Epub 2018 Jan 23.
Plastics, currently the universal workhorse materials of modern economy, because of their low cost and varied functional properties are posing serious threat to environment and consumer's health in many direct and indirect ways. Rising concern about the impact of plastics on environment and human health, has forced the industry to look for alternatives. This review studies current understanding of benefits and concerns surrounding use of plastics, reviews literature about health effects in humans and discusses the current state of evidence, as well as future research trends. There is increasing concern regarding additives in plastics to which most people are exposed, such as phthalates, bisphenol A or polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE), and their detection in humans, leading to harmful impact on health. The studies are divided, among many other issues on the fact of considering these additives as carcinogens or toxicants, but there is a consensus that these chemicals have the ability to alter the endocrine system. Human data are limited compared to large body of experimental evidence documenting reproductive or developmental toxicity in relation to these compounds in animals. The concentrations of these additives in young children, a segment particularly sensitive to exogenous insults, are typically higher, indicating the need to decrease exposure to these compounds. The rapid increase in usage of plastics and increased awareness about its health hazard has lent urgency to the whole issue.
塑料是现代经济中通用的万能材料，由于其低成本和多样化的功能特性，正以直接和间接的多种方式对环境和消费者的健康构成严重威胁。人们对塑料对环境和人类健康的影响的日益关注，迫使该行业寻找替代品。本综述研究了目前对塑料使用的益处和关注的理解，回顾了有关人类健康影响的文献，并讨论了当前证据状况以及未来的研究趋势。人们越来越关注塑料中的添加剂，大多数人都会接触到这些添加剂，如邻苯二甲酸酯、双酚 A 或多溴联苯醚 (PBDE)，以及它们在人体内的检测情况，这些情况会对健康造成有害影响。这些研究除了其他许多问题外，还涉及到将这些添加剂视为致癌物质或有毒物质的事实，但人们普遍认为这些化学物质有能力改变内分泌系统。与动物体内这些化合物相关的生殖或发育毒性的大量实验证据相比，人类数据有限。这些添加剂在幼儿（对外来刺激特别敏感的年龄段）中的浓度通常更高，这表明需要减少接触这些化合物。塑料使用量的迅速增加以及对其健康危害的认识提高，使整个问题变得更加紧迫。
