IES2025 Research, Audit and Quality Improvement Projects E-Posters (60 abstracts)
Detection of endocrine disrupting microplastics in the human body: a scoping review of distribution, detection methods and sample integrity
Sarah Ahmed , Derek O’Keeffe , Peter Dockery , Liam Morrison , Kerry Thompson , Ian McCabe , Mark Healy , Ana Mendes & Hemendra Worlikar
University of Galway, Galway, Ireland
Microplastics are increasingly being found in the human body and are an emerging global issue including concerns about their potential endocrine disrupting effects. As research in this area expands, more studies are reporting the presence, characteristics, and detection methods of microplastics in several human tissues (e.g., thyroid and pancreas) and biological fluids (e.g., blood and urine). This scoping review aims to identify the studies reporting the presence of microplastics in human organs and biological samples, discussing their characteristics as well as the detection methods of microplastics. Following the PRISMA-ScR guidelines, a systematic search of three different databases (PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science) was conducted for English-language and in-vivo human studies. Duplicate removal, title/abstract and full-text screening were done using Covidence based on eligibility criteria. Data extraction focused on sample type, organ system, biological sample, characteristic of microplastics such as size, shape, colour and polymer type. Methods of detection and contamination protocols were also included. Microplastics continue to be detected in diverse human tissues with advancing detection techniques. However, key gaps remain in contamination control, health impact assessment, and protocol standardization. Research gaps also remain in understanding whether microplastics localize within specific cellular compartment like the cytoplasm or mitochondria. Addressing these gaps is essential to assess the long-term effect of microplastic exposure.
Volume 115
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Endocrine Abstracts
ISSN 1470-3947 (print) | ISSN 1479-6848 (online)
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