Cardiotoxicity of Microplastics: An Emerging Cardiovascular Risk Factor
Abstract
The widespread use of plastics and improper disposal have resulted in the ubiquity of microplastics in the environment, from uninhabited polar regions to terrestrial ecosystems. This ubiquity poses significant health concerns for our environment and health. Various in vitro, in vivo, and ex vivo studies have indicated microplastic toxicity in humans' respiratory, digestive, neurological, reproductive, and developmental health. Recent studies have pointed out that these microplastics also have cardiovascular toxicity. Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the number one killer in the world, with over 20 million annual deaths worldwide. Hence, microplastics, as a potential risk factor for CVDs, can result in a significant increase in mortality and morbidity because almost everyone is currently exposed to microplastics. This perspective article explores the toxic effects of microplastics on cardiovascular human health. It focuses on various studies that have found microplastics from human arteries/cardiac tissues and their potential role in atherosclerosis and subsequent increases in myocardial infarction, stroke, and mortality. Studies reported the presence of various microplastics, such as polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, polyamide, and polystyrene, in cardiac tissues and arteries (coronary, aorta, cerebral, and carotid). Studies have suggested a potential negative correlation between microplastics and cardiovascular health, with the presence or increased concentration of…
Read the paper
Related studies
- Green Chemistry: A Framework for a Sustainable Future
- Nano/micro-plastic, an invisible threat getting into the brain
- Emerging contaminants antibiotic resistance genes and microplastics in the environment: Introduction to 21 review articles published in CREST during 2018–2022
- Water Resources and Sustainable Development
- Nano- and microplastics in the workplace
- Water Enclosure and World-Literature: New Perspectives on Hydro-Power and World-Ecology
Go deeper in Evidence Hub
Evidence Hub adds a study data sheet (design, sample size, evidence level, key numbers), an AI summary and a chat grounded in the paper's text.