HEALTH EFFECTS OF MICROPLASTICS.

Over the past 5 years  an increasing number of studies have reported the presence of micro- and nanoplastics in drinking water, air, food and soil. This raises questions and concerns about the impact of microplastics debris on human health, and had recently also been the driver behind the European Plastic Pact. In 2020 Nanoconsult has been contracted by ICCA to compose a white paper on the human health effects of microplastics by inhalation and oral intake.The white paper indicates how read-across from other particle domains such as PSLT and ambient PM may help to advance decision making and learning in this phase. Interestingly, read-across has not been explored at this level of groups of (particle) substances. The best candidate for read-across emerging from this effort, is provided by the robust worldwide dataset of ambient PM, and the missing links regarding exposure measurements and hazard testing at relevant levels will be able to close the current data-gap. Meanwhile this white paper has been condensed into a publication by Wright & Borm (2022) in which the authors report an information gap in exposure between inhalation studies and real-life exposure. In addition, they go out and take existing data of road tire dust as a fraction of PM to make an estimate of health effects due to microplastics, when this fraction has an effect equal to the bulk of PM. Further reading via https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2022.868822/full

Meanwhile Nanoconsult is active in various other Particle groups such as driven by the Amorphous silica industry (SAS4REACH) with a key presentation in Brussels on december 5th 2022 in a meeting between EU officials and CEFIC. As a follow-up to this activity European industry, guided by CEFIC, has now set-up a Particle Platform in which Nanoconsult represents Industrial Mineral Association. Target of the Platform are particles which exhibit no or very low inherent toxicity and affecting the respiratory tract.

E-Book on Particles & Health.

Meanwhile the E-book with all contributions to the Particles & health meeting in 2021 are now online. Please got to the following link: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/20810/particles-and-health-2021-an-international-conference-addressing-issues-in-science-and-regulation