SynthesisTherapeutic advances in respiratory disease
Evidence on microplastic exposure and respiratory health outcomes: a systematic review.
Synthesis in Therapeutic advances in respiratory disease. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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Authors and funding
10 authors.
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Abstract
backgroundPlastic fragmentation leads to widespread microplastic (MP) pollution. Inhalation of airborne MPs is a key human exposure route. Evidence links MPs to respiratory diseases, but causal mechanisms and real-world risks remain unclear.
objectivesThis review synthesizes evidence on human exposure to airborne MPs and their role in major respiratory diseases. It aims to identify critical knowledge gaps and improve the framework for assessing inhalation health risks.
designThis is a systematic review study. DATA SOURCES AND
methodsPubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science were searched (up to 15 June 2025) using keywords for MPs and respiratory diseases. Two researchers independently screened articles, extracted data, and assessed the quality of the studies.
resultsA total of 17 studies were included. MPs are found in human lungs and can induce inflammation. Evidence associates chronic exposure with increased risks of COPD, asthma, and pulmonary fibrosis. A major limitation is that experimental animal studies use MP concentrations vastly exceeding environmental levels, limiting real-world risk extrapolation. Research is also disproportionately focused on polystyrene (PS), while occupational data implicate other polymers.
conclusionAirborne MPs are a respiratory toxicant, but definitive causal evidence is constrained by a critical gap between experimental and environmentally relevant concentrations and a polymer-specific research bias. Future studies must prioritize environmentally relevant exposures, investigate high-risk polymers, and integrate exposomics with advanced toxicology.
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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.