The advent of the last decade has seen a pronounced acceleration of the knowledge on microplastics and their impact on the environment: it has become clear how ubiquitous some of the world’s most remote areas are with them. However as we begin to study MPs another level of complexity is emerging: these particles break down into even smaller, potentially more hazardous particles called nanoplastics (NPs). This fragmentation brings its own suite of problems, and especially when it relates to evaluating this impact on living or the environment more broadly. With such complexity, neither researchers such as myself nor insurance companies are able to pursue these effects with standard methodologies, essential to making accurate, applicable risk assessments.

Microplastics and Nanoplastics: The Diversity Challenge

This diversity of these plastic particles is one of the biggest hurdles in MP and NP research. Many MPs different from one another as far as their polymer type, shape, size, and chemistry affect their toxicity. The diversity within MPs and NPs means that a one size fits all approach is nearly impossible to study MPs and NPs and the lack of standardized protocols for sampling or testing make the picture all the more complex. The field would have made quite a big breakthrough if it could discover how to apply the results of one well designed experiment across several species or cell types to find more generalizable and more impactful outcomes.

Embracing One Health: Environmental and Human Health Link

To understand fully the effects of MPs and NPs on living organisms (including humans), we must take a One Health approach. In this holistic framework human, animal, and environmental health are considered as an interconnected whole, and interdisciplinary research is encouraged. Understanding the fate and effects of MPs and NPs in a range of environmental settings and organisms lead to a more global picture that may be used for risk assessments that impact both ecosystems and human health.

Sensitivity analyses and kinetic rate studies show us how these particles behave across disparate biological systems (terrestrial and aquatic). Critical also are studies on human cell lines or animal models that provide insights into possible human health risks because they can explain to us how MPs or NPs might affect us directly.

From Laboratory Research to Real World Implications

The most exciting area in MP and NP research is the development of methods that couple lacatory findings with applications in the real world. By adapting ecotoxicity standard tests specifically for MPs and NPs, insights into their behavior in living systems can be revealed with clearer predictions of how they will affect health and ecosystems. IVIVE is especially appealing because it enables scientists to model what happens when cell-level findings translate to impacts on entire organisms.

The IVIVEs aim to provide additional support in the prediction of adverse outcomes; researchers are further developing Adverse Outcome Pathway (AOP) models that characterize how MPs and NPs initiate a sequence of biological reactions resulting in adverse health outcomes. Once they are still further developed, these models can eventually help us to understand and predict how these particles impact diverse organisms at increasing biological levels, so we can manage them in ways that reduce these risks.

Development of High Throughput Technologies to Advance Mechanistic Understanding

Untangling the intricate biological effect of MPs and NPs will rely on high throughput tools such as RNA sequencing, proteomics and metabolomics. These techniques identify toxicity biomarkers (eg genes and proteins) affected by MPs or NPs and unknown cellular pathways and molecular interactions. Specific proteins and genes can be revealed by high through put technologies as markers for MP or NP exposure, enabling faster and more accurate risk assessments.

Looking Ahead: Towards Environmentally Relevant Risk Assessments

The goal is clear: The goal was to be able to generate environmentally relevant and robust risk assessments for MPs and NPs. So, you have to find biomarkers that can capture the cascade of signalling events these particles can potentially induce from molecular through population wide effects. For example, we need also to consider broader impacts such as changes in behavior of affected organisms, allowing to identify potential consequences for populations and ecosystems.

By highlighting the need to focus on these mechanisms to bridge laboratory knowledge to real world implications, we are making progress to developing standardized methods to inform policymakers and secure human and environmental health. Researchers have more responsibilities than being able to identify the effects of MPs and NPs, but rather providing actionable insights to a safer, healthier planet.

About the Author: Syed Nadeem Gillani is a solution-driven professional passionate about sustainable development and scientific research. With hands-on experience in tackling environmental issues, his focus is on addressing air, water, soil, and food pollution. His research interests include assessing nanomaterial toxicity’s impact on the environment and human health, emphasizing risk assessment and natural solutions. Motivated by personal experiences, Syed aims to specialize in environmental toxicology and human health, contributing to advancements in environmental solutions through analytical thinking, teamwork, and leadership.




Keywords

Microplastics, Nanoplastics, Environmental Health, One Health Approach, Toxicity Biomarkers, Risk Assessment, Ecotoxicity, In Vitro to In Vivo Extrapolation (IVIVE), Adverse Outcome Pathways (AOP), Pollution, Ecosystems