An Overview of the Detrimental Effect of Microplastics on Humans

Microplastics (MPs) have become a worldwide environmental concern that pose a threat to human health. An enormous increase in the manufacture and use of fossil-based plastics worldwide, coupled with improper waste management, causes plastic waste to deteriorate and produce MPs. MPs pose a severe health risk since they can infiltrate the body through a number of routes, including dermal contact, inhalation, and ingestion, eventually resulting in toxicity and a variety of disorders in humans. The presence of MPs has permeated the food chain, consequently intensifying the potential risk to human health. Moreover, the chemical components from the MPs can leach into the body, expanding their negative effects to trigger an immune response and induce oxidative stress reactions, genotoxicity, cancer, etc. Therefore, understanding the chemical composition of various synthetic plastics, which eventually transform into MPs and contribute to the onset of human disorders, is crucial. This chapter will also address the harmful impacts of MPs on several human organs and organ systems.