Microplastics React With Water, Generating Harmful Radicals

Microplastics are tiny pieces of plastic that break off from larger objects. They are found in almost every ecosystem on Earth. The material is normally chemically stable, which is why it is used for food packaging and water bottles.

Scientists at Columbia University and UC Berkeley discovered that water can make the surfaces of microplastics chemically active. The effect is stronger because smaller particles have more surface area. The authors published their findings in the journal Nature.

The activation produces reactive oxygen species, a group of chemicals that can alter other molecules. A type of reactive oxygen species called hydroxyl radicals is especially dangerous. These radicals can remove electrons from proteins and fats, disrupting cell membranes.

In laboratory tests, researchers exposed red blood cells taken from mice to different microplastics. The cells became deformed and ruptured, a process known as hemolysis. The study suggests that microplastics inside the body could pose additional danger beyond the pollutants they carry.