Adverse Cardiovascular Effects of Micro and Nanoplastics

Abstract

Plastics in daily use can be degraded into microplastics which are smaller than 5 mm and nanoplas-tics which are smaller than 1000 nanometre. These can trigger toxicologic effects in the human body. Routes of entry of micro and nano particles (MNPs) into the human body could be by in-gestion, topical exposure and even by inhalation. Microbeads which are a type of microplastic are often added as exfoliants to health and beauty products as well as some cleansers and even tooth-pastes, increasing the chance of human exposure. Adverse cardiovascular effects of MNPs have come into limelight with the publication of a paper in NEJM which has correlated the presence of MNPs in carotid artery atheromas removed during ca-rotid endarterectomy to increased cardiovascular events during follow up. Earlier experimental studies had suggested that MNPs promote oxidative stress, inflammation and apoptosis in endothe-lial and other vascular cells which could eventually lead to impairment in cardiac function, myocar-dial fibrosis and endothelial dysfunction.