Can the impact of micro-and nanoplastics on human health really be assessed using in vitro models? A review of methodological issues

Forest, Valérie
Pourchez, Jérémie

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Publication date

July 2023

DOI

10.1016/j.envint.2023.108115

Publisher

Elsevier

Abstract

Because of the many advantages they offer (strength, low cost, durability, lightweight, resistance, etc.), plastics are integral part of our daily life with a production constantly rising. However, their waste management is still inadequate, resulting in their release and accumulation in the environment, representing a main source of pollution. Their degradation results in debris of variable size including microplastics (0.1 μm-5 mm) and even nanoplastics (<0.1 μm), whose potential impact on ecosystems and human health have raised concerns. The potential adverse effects they may cause have been evaluated using both in vitro and in vivo models. However, due to some specific characteristics of micro-and nanoplastics, there are challenging que...