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Types of Toxins

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Humans continually engage with an environment rich in potentially harmful chemicals. These are introduced to our bodies through inhalation, ingestion, or skin contact. These chemicals exist in various forms, such as air and environmental pollutants, agricultural chemicals, organic solvents, and heavy metals.
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Dec 22, 2025

Forming Micro-and Nano-Plastics from Agricultural Plastic Films for Employment in Fundamental Research Studies

Forming Micro-and Nano-Plastics from Agricultural Plastic Films for Employment in Fundamental Research Studies

Published on: July 27, 2022

Potential toxicity of polystyrene microplastic particles.

Jangsun Hwang^1,2, Daheui Choi¹, Seora Han¹

¹Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Yonsei University, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea.

Scientific Reports

|May 2, 2020

Summary

Polystyrene microplastics may impact human health at the cellular level. These particles can stimulate the immune system, increasing cytokine and chemokine production in a dose-dependent manner.

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Last Updated: Dec 22, 2025

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Area of Science:

Environmental Science
Toxicology
Cell Biology

Background:

Plastic pollution is a significant global environmental issue, with plastic particles of various sizes posing risks to marine ecosystems and human health.
While microplastic particles are often considered minimally harmful to humans, potential adverse effects at the cellular level warrant further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the potential cellular-level impacts of primary polystyrene (PS) microplastics on human health.
To determine if PS microplastics can elicit an immune response in human cells.

Main Methods:

Exposure of human cells to varying concentrations and sizes of primary polystyrene microplastic particles.
Analysis of cytokine and chemokine production as indicators of immune stimulation.

Main Results:

Polystyrene microplastic particles were found to be potential immune stimulants.
The induction of cytokine and chemokine production was observed to be dependent on both the size and concentration of the PS particles.

Conclusions:

Polystyrene microplastics can affect human health at the cellular level by stimulating immune responses.
The immune-stimulating effects of microplastics are size- and concentration-dependent, highlighting the need for further research into their toxicological profiles.