Why is this in news?
- Over 80 Padma awardee doctors issued a joint national advisory warning that airborne microplastics and nanoplastics have become a major emerging health threat in India.
- They urged authorities to take immediate action amid rising air pollution and evidence of plastic particles infiltrating the human body, increasing risks of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, inflammation, organ damage, and insulin resistance.
- Advisory highlights a shift from seasonal smog concerns to all-year health crisis, especially affecting infants, elderly, pregnant women, and those with chronic illness.
Relevance
GS-3 (Environment)
- Emerging contaminants, air pollution science.
- Waste mismanagement, microplastic pathways.
- Intersections between environment and public health.
GS-2 (Health)
- NCDs of environmental origin (cardiac, metabolic, endocrine disorders).
- Public health advisories and regulatory gaps.
- Vulnerable populations: elderly, infants, pregnant women.
Basic understanding: What are airborne microplastics?
- Microplastics are plastic fragments <5 mm; airborne variants include particles <10 microns, small enough to enter lungs, bloodstream, and organs.
- Sources include:
- Vehicle tyre wear
- Road dust
- Broken plastic waste
- Synthetic textiles
- Industrial emissions
- Once airborne, they mix with fine particulate matter (PM2.5), enhancing toxicity.
Key scientific concerns raised by Padma doctors
Exposure and infiltration
- Airborne microplastics detected in Delhi’s traffic-heavy corridors at some of the highest global concentrations.
- Particles <10 microns can penetrate deep into lungs, enter bloodstream, and reach organs.
Role as carriers of pathogens
- Research shows microplastics can carry bacteria, viruses, and toxic chemicals adsorbed on their surfaces.
Direct health impacts
- Inflammation
- Oxidative stress
- Tissue and organ damage
- Hormonal disruption
- Gut microbiota imbalance
- Potential neurotoxicity
Emerging medical linkages highlighted
1. Cardiovascular risk
- Microplastics associated with higher risk of heart disease and stroke.
- Example: 4.5× increased risk of stroke within 3 years in certain exposure cohorts.
2. Diabetes and metabolic disorders
- Doctors note a strong connection between air pollution, microplastics, and rising diabetes.
- India has 10 crore+ diabetics, and 3 crore prediabetics.
- Inflammation and endocrine disruption from microplastics may be contributing in overlooked ways.
3. Insulin resistance
- Microplastics & related chemicals (e.g., BPA) linked to impaired glucose metabolism.
4. Immune and hormonal disruption
- Chronic exposure damages cellular function, elevates chronic disease risk.
Structural and environmental sources
Urban concentration
- High levels in commercial areas, traffic corridors, markets, and construction-heavy zones.
Indoor risk
- Indoor air often contains synthetic fiber particles from furnishings, carpets, and plastic materials.
Accumulation pattern
- Microplastics do not degrade; they accumulate in human organs, causing long-term chronic damage.
Why doctors call this an “unmanageable scale” crisis ?
- Microplastics are now infiltrating multiple pathways: air, food, water, indoor environments.
- Unlike traditional pollutants, they are persistent, invisible, chemically complex, and difficult to filter.
- India’s existing air pollution crisis amplifies microplastic exposure intensity.
- Infants, children, and elderly face disproportionate harm due to lower physiological resilience.
Advisory by Padma awardee doctors: Recommended precautions
At household level
- Use air purifiers when possible
- Reduce plastic use
- Mop and wipe surfaces to reduce dust
- Avoid microwaving food in plastic containers
- Improve kitchen ventilation
At community level
- Aim for cleaner indoor air
- Enhance waste management to prevent fragmentation of plastic litter
- Promote alternatives to single-use plastics
At policy level
- Recognise microplastics as an air pollutant category
- Strengthen monitoring systems (like AQI) to capture microplastic load
- Promote R&D on health impacts and mitigation technologies
