Nanoplastics as a Potential Environmental Health Factor: From Molecular Interaction to Altered Cellular Function and Human Diseases

The problem of plastic pollution is becoming increasingly important and has attracted great interest in the last few years. Polystyrene is one of the most used plastic types in the food and beverage industry, medical and laboratory devices. Increased plastic production and increased food, water, and air pollution and contact with nanoplastics may cause long-lasting changes and predispose to adverse developmental and degenerative diseases through mechanisms that are not yet understood.

The aim of this article is to provide an overview of current knowledge to plastics, especially polystyrene, and their impact on the human health. In particular, we discuss the major sources of plastic waste, polystyrene surface chemistry, as well as mechanisms by which plastics degrade in the environment. We also provide an insight into cellular uptake mechanism and the molecular interaction of polystyrene nanoparticles and human cells. This review offers scientists and clinicians useful information and could be used as a starting point for more in-depth analysis of nanoplastics as a potential environmental health factor.