Polystyrene nanoplastics are formed as larger plastics break down. They are thousands of times smaller than the thickness of a human hair and can enter the body through food, water or inhaled air.
The researchers studied human immune cells and found nanoplastics inside them.
They observed disrupted mitochondrial function and cellular respiration, reduced production of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the cells' main energy carrier, and activation of cellular stress mechanisms after just one hour of exposure to nanoplastics.
The researchers also identified a population of cells that appeared only after exposure to nanoplastics and called them "stress cells."
The findings suggest that some cells shift resources away from their normal functions towards survival under cellular stress.
The experiments were conducted on cells in laboratory conditions.
The effects of everyday, long-term exposure to nanoplastics on human health remain unknown.
(sp/gs)
Source: PAP, tvp.pl