Complexities of microplastics research

Why is research into the health risks of microplastics so complex? A recent article in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine explored this question by speaking with several experts including MOMENTUM researchers Flemming Cassee and Emma Kasteel.

An important challenge in microplastics research is the variability of plastic particles. “Each particle is unique, which makes assessing their toxicity in the natural conditions far more complex than traditional air pollutants”, Cassee explains. “We don’t know if the microplastics we study in the lab behave like those in real-world exposure.”

In addition, researchers have shown that microplastics can carry chemicals and pathogens. These may enter the body along with the plastic particles, potentially affecting the harmfulness of exposure to microplastics. This makes risk assessment more complex.

In the MOMENTUM project, researchers are working on tackling some important challenges in microplastics research. They make plastic particles in the lab that closely resemble those in our environment. This enables them to conduct research in a standardised way. They also characterise and quantify the pathogens that attach to plastic particles and investigate their effects on human health.