Presence of airborne microplastics in human lung tissue
Abstract
Plastics are ubiquitously used by societies, but most of the plastic waste is deposited in landfills and in the natural environment. Their degradation into submillimetre fragments, called microplastics, is a growing concern due to potential adverse effects on the environment and human health. Microplastics are present in the air and may be inhaled by humans, but whether they have deleterious effects on the respiratory system remain unknown. In this study, we determined the presence of microplastics in human lung tissues obtained at autopsies. Polymeric particles (n = 33) and fibres (n = 4) were observed in 13 of 20 tissue samples. All polymeric particles were smaller than 5.5 µm in size, and fibres ranged from 8.12 to 16.8 µm. The most frequently determined polymers were polyethylene and polypropylene. Deleterious health outcomes may be related to the heterogeneous characteristics of these contaminants in the respiratory system following inhalation.
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Microplastics have been documented in human lungs at 0.56 particles/g tissue.
“lungs (0.56 particles/g tissue),4”
From Microplastics and Anthropogenic Particles in Recreationally Caught Freshwater Fish from an Urbanized Region of the North American Great Lakes (2024) · cites this paper as [4]
Microplastics are entering and accumulating in humans.
“More recently, scientists have demonstrated that microplastics are entering and accumulating in humans.”
From Microplastics and Anthropogenic Particles in Recreationally Caught Freshwater Fish from an Urbanized Region of the North American Great Lakes (2024) · cites this paper as [4]
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Background
- Authors
- Amato-Lourenço, L. F., Carvalho-Oliveira, R., Júnior, G. R., dos Santos Galvão, L., Ando, R. A., & Mauad, T.
- Affiliations
- Universidade de São Paulo (BR)
- Venue
- Journal of Hazardous Materials
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2021-08
- Volume
- 416
- Pages
- 126124
- ISSN
- 0304-3894 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W3165275692
- Cited by
- 1,329
- References
- 37
- Citations by year
- 2026: 269 · 2025: 358 · 2024: 337 · 2023: 229 · 2022: 117 · 2021: 19
- FWCI
- 43.51
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Licence
- Locations
- Journal of Hazardous Materials (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (19/03397-5)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Pollution › Microplastics and Plastic Pollution
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Pollution › Pharmaceutical and Antibiotic Environmental Impacts
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis › Air Quality and Health Impacts
- Keywords
- airborne microplastics, human lung tissue, inhalation exposure, polymer particles, microfibers, polyethylene, polypropylene, respiratory effects, autopsy specimens, plastic pollution
- MeSH terms
- Microplastics, Environmental Monitoring, Humans, Lung, Plastics, Water Pollutants, Chemical, Waste Disposal Facilities
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