Suche
Mein Konto
Microplastics in the air: Danger to healthy lung cells!
Research from MedUni Vienna shows: Microplastics can trigger malignant changes in lung cells. Urgent action required.
Microplastics in the air: Danger to healthy lung cells!
Today there is an alarming reason for concern: researchers at MedUni Vienna have found in a groundbreaking study that micro- and nanoplastics from plastic products can cause significant damage to our lung cells. Under the leadership of Karin Schelch and Balazs Döme, in collaboration with Büsra Ernhofer as first author, the effects of polystyrene micro- and nanoplastics (PS-MNPs) were intensively investigated and published in the renowned Journal of Hazardous Materials. MedUni Vienna reports that....
What exactly does this mean for us? Research shows that healthy lung cells absorb smaller PS-MNPs, as small as 0.00025 mm, more than already malignant cancer cells. This interaction with microplastics leads to serious biological changes in the cells. These include, among other things, increased cell migration, DNA damage and oxidative stress. The cells' ability to repair DNA also appears to be impaired. In the long term, these changes could even trigger a cancer-causing process in healthy cells.
Interdisciplinary collaboration between environmental medicine and cancer biology is highlighted as essential to better understand the complex impacts of this new environmental threat. There is also an urgent need for action to reduce plastic waste. The long-term consequences of MNP exposure on the lungs remain unclear, necessitating further in-depth investigations.
A look at other similar studies illustrates the far-reaching dangers posed by these micro- and nanoplastics. Experiments with various cells (such as A549 and Caco-2) show that these particles produce reactive oxygen species (ROS) and can also negatively influence cellular signaling pathways. An analysis of further cell studies shows that.... This also includes increased secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines, which could indicate activation of the immune system.
It therefore remains to be seen what further insights the ongoing research will provide on this serious topic. One thing is clear: the events surrounding microplastics are not just an issue for science, but also affect us all directly. It is time not only to think about solutions, but also to take active action to minimize the risks to our health and the environment.