Microplastics in the Human Body

Airborne microplastics are an emerging pollutant with concerning implications for human health. Recent studies have detected microplastics in human lung tissue, raising concerns that the smallest particles, particularly those smaller than 100 nm, may cross the lung’s blood-air barrier, enter the bloodstream, and affect other organs. Identifying airborne microplastics in blood is therefore crucial for understanding their potential systemic health impacts. However, this remains challenging due to the difficulty of detecting and characterising particles at very small sizes.

This project brings together expertise from Chemistry, Biology, and Environment and Geography to develop new interdisciplinary approaches for studying microplastics and their health impacts, while building long-term research capacity at the University of York. A key innovation is the development of the Raman spectroscopy technique for chemical characterisation of submicron microplastics, addressing a critical capability gap at York’s Raman Spectroscopy facility. In parallel, hands-on training in established biological methods will allow the assessment of microplastic exposure in human blood stem cell models, providing preliminary insight into systemic exposure pathways.

Aims and Objectives

The project will generate new analytical expertise, validated protocols for microplastics characterisation, and preliminary biological data on microplastics in blood. More broadly, it will expand York’s capacity to study emerging environmental pollutants and their associated health risks through interdisciplinary collaboration.