Wang Yung-Li, Lin Yen-Chung, Liu Wen-Chih, Lee Yu-Hsuan, Chiu Hui-Wen
Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan; TMU Research Center of Urology and Kidney, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
Ecotoxicol Environ Saf. 2025 Jul 1;299:118402. doi: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2025.118402. Epub 2025 May 26.
Air pollution represents a significant public health concern, contributing to approximately 6.7 million premature deaths annually. Among the various pollutants, particulate matter (PM), emitted from fossil fuel combustion, poses a significant health risk. It induces oxidative stress and increases respiratory and cardiovascular disease risk. Recently, particulate plastics, classified as microplastics (MPs) (less than 5 mm) or nanoplastics (NPs) (less than 1 μm), have been identified as environmental contaminants. It has been demonstrated that plastic particles, including MPs and NPs, can gain access to the human body via inhalation, ingestion, and dermal contact, resulting in various adverse health effects, such as inflammation and oxidative stress. Particulate plastics have been identified in human biological samples, including blood, saphenous vein tissues and lung tissues. Moreover, their presence in PM, particularly in urban settings, exacerbates the health risks associated with air pollution. This review addresses the sources, detection, health effects, and mitigation strategies for particulate plastics in the atmosphere. Additionally, the study discusses the biological degradation of particulate plastics by microorganisms and the potential of advanced oxidation processes for their removal. These comprehensive approaches could reduce the environment and human health from the adverse effects of airborne particulate plastics.
空气污染是一个重大的公共卫生问题，每年导致约670万人过早死亡。在各种污染物中，化石燃料燃烧排放的颗粒物（PM）构成了重大的健康风险。它会引发氧化应激，并增加呼吸道和心血管疾病风险。最近，被归类为微塑料（MPs，小于5毫米）或纳米塑料（NPs，小于1微米）的颗粒塑料已被确认为环境污染物。事实证明，包括MPs和NPs在内的塑料颗粒可通过吸入、摄入和皮肤接触进入人体，从而导致各种不良健康影响，如炎症和氧化应激。在包括血液、大隐静脉组织和肺组织在内的人体生物样本中已发现颗粒塑料。此外，它们在PM中的存在，尤其是在城市环境中，加剧了与空气污染相关的健康风险。本综述阐述了大气中颗粒塑料的来源、检测、健康影响及缓解策略。此外，该研究还讨论了微生物对颗粒塑料的生物降解以及高级氧化工艺对其去除的潜力。这些综合方法可以减少空气中颗粒塑料对环境和人类健康的不利影响。
