CANBERRA, Feb. 3 (Xinhua) -- New Australian research warns that high nanoplastics exposure could damage kidney cell health and function, raising concerns over the effects of tiny plastic particles on human health
Researchers from Australia's Flinders University have led new study on whether nanoplastics can accumulate or cause damage in kidneys, the body's major blood filtering system, said a news release on Tuesday.
The study, published in the international journal Cell Biology and Toxicology, found that while lower concentrations of nanoplastics (less than 1 micron or 0.001mm in diameter) had limited short-term effects of immediate toxicity to the kidney cells, higher burdens can compromise overall cell health and function, causing changes to the cell shape, survival and cell regulation.
"The results also indicate that the effects are influenced not only by concentration but also by polymer composition and particle size, with some combinations inducing significant cellular changes even at relatively low doses," said the study's first author Hayden Gillings, a PhD candidate in nanoplastics and health at Flinders University.
Sustained or repeated damage to regulatory kidney cells could impair kidney function, reduce filtration efficiency, clearance capacity, and lead to their potential buildup of nanoplastics in kidney tissue, researchers warned.
The findings also highlight the need for exploring biological outcomes, including potential DNA damage and long-term functional consequences, to fully assess the risks posed by environmental nanoplastics to kidney health and systemic exposure.
Rising plastic waste is breaking down across Earth's land, sea, and air, causing the proliferation of microplastic (pieces less than 5mm) and nanoplastic pollution which threatens all lifeforms, the researchers warned, urging tougher measures to curb their release into the environment, food chain, and living organisms. ■