Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 7, 2025
Protocol for Microplastics Sampling on the Sea Surface and Sample Analysis
Published on: December 16, 2016
Microplastic and human health with focus on pediatric well-being: a comprehensive review and call for future studies
Rogers Wainkwa Chia1,2, Ntegang Venant Atem1, Jin-Yong Lee1,3
1Department of Geology, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, Korea.
Insights
Microplastics (MPs) pose risks to children from infancy to adolescence. This review highlights sources like infant formula and toys, and their potential to cause cell damage and health issues, emphasizing the need for further pediatric well-being research.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Health
- Pediatric Toxicology
- Materials Science
Background:
- Humans are exposed to microplastics (MPs) throughout life, from infancy to adolescence.
- Limited data exists on MP sources, exposure routes, detection, and health impacts specifically in children.
- Understanding pediatric MP exposure is crucial for public health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review and synthesize current research (2017-2023) on microplastic exposure in children.
- To identify primary sources and exposure pathways of MPs in infants, toddlers, and adolescents.
- To summarize the detrimental health effects of MPs on pediatric well-being.
Main Methods:
- Systematic literature review of research papers from PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, and Web of Science.
- Analysis of studies focusing on MP sources (e.g., infant formula, toys, food packaging, water, air) in pediatric populations.
- Review of methods for MP detection and quantification in biological samples (feces) using Fenton's reagent, filtration, stereomicroscopy, and micro-FTIR spectroscopy.
Main Results:
- Infant formula and milk are significant MP sources for infants; plastic toys for toddlers.
- Adolescents face MP exposure via contaminated food and plastic food packaging.
- Water and air are ubiquitous MP exposure routes across all pediatric age groups.
- MP exposure is linked to cellular damage and adverse health outcomes, including cancer, in children.
Conclusions:
- Microplastic exposure is a pervasive issue affecting children's health from infancy through adolescence.
- Specific sources like infant formula, toys, and contaminated food/water/air require targeted mitigation strategies.
- Further research and monitoring are essential to fully understand and address the long-term health consequences of MPs in pediatric populations.
Abstract:
Although humans are highly dependent on plastics from infancy to adolescence, these materials can degrade into ubiquitous microplastics (MPs) that affect individuals at every stage of life. However, information on the sources, mechanisms, detection techniques, and detrimental effects of MPs on children's health from infancy to adolescence is limited. Hence, here we identified and reviewed original research papers published in 2017-2023 across 11 database categories in PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, and Web of Science to improve our understanding of MPs with a focus on pediatric well-being. These studies found that milk and infant formulas are common sources of MP exposure in infants. Infant formula is the dominant source of MPs in babies, while plastic toys are a common source of MPs in toddlers. Adolescents are frequently exposed to MPs through the consumption of food contaminated with MPs and the use of plastics in food packaging. Water and air are sources of MP exposure in children from infancy through adolescence. This study thoroughly summarized how MP exposure in children of all ages causes cell damage and leads to adverse health effects such as cancer. With appropriate authorization from the relevant authorities, small amounts of human biological samples (10 g of feces) were collected from volunteers to assess the amounts of MPs in children with the aim of promoting pediatric well-being. The samples were then treated with Fenton's reagent, stored in glass jars, and filtered through nonplastic filters. Finally, MPs in children were quantified using stereomicroscopy and characterized using micro-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy.
