Study finds microplastics become chemically active in water and blood

Scientists publishing in Nature have demonstrated that microplastics do not remain inert after ingestion; instead, they chemically interact with water, producing reactive oxygen species that can injure animal and human tissue. The phenomenon becomes more pronounced as the plastics fragment into nanoplastics, whose increased surface-to-volume ratio creates more reactive sites. Researchers led by Columbia chemistry professor Wei Min employed laser-based microscopy to observe these reactions, building on earlier medical studies linking microplastics to health issues.

Co-author Naixin Qian explained that the water-plastic interface facilitates electron transfer and radical formation. In response to growing concerns, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services unveiled a $144 million initiative to create a comprehensive toolkit for measuring, studying, and safely eliminating micro- and nanoplastics from the human body. The findings raise new questions about the safety of everyday plastic consumption.