Given the rise of plastic contamination worldwide, the health effects of microplastics on humans is a growing concern. As seen in the previous article What are microplastics and nanoplastics?, microplastics (MPs) and (NPs) are tiny plastic particles that can enter the body via foods such as water, sugar, salt, fish, seafood and produce. The good news is that, in theory, we should be able to excrete up to 90% of the ingested particles (1). The extent at which MPs get absorbed into our bodies, organs and cells depends on the size of the particles. The numbers below are estimates: < 150 micrometres in diameter (~0.3% of ingested particles): pass through…

There is growing interest in the threats that microplastics and nanoplastics pose on the health of humans and the environment. In this article we answer the questions: what are microplastics and nanoplastics? where do they come from? and more. What are microplastics and nanoplastics? Microplastics (MPs) and nanoplastics (NPs) are tiny pieces of plastics measuring less than 5 millimetres and between 1 and 1000 nanometres in diameter, respectively (1). Where do they come from? MPs and NPs can originate from the breakdown of larger pieces of plastic articles that end up in the environment or can be added to manufactured products such as personal care products and clothing (1, 2).…