Human pluripotent stem cells Unique tools to decipher the effects of environmental and intracellular plastic pollution on human health

Increase in plastic pollution causes irreparable harm to the environment lasting for decades. While current data of plastic pollution include marine and terrestrial ecology, the impacts of degraded or intentionally produced microscopic-sized plastics on human health remain unknown. Here, we are proposing the usage of pluripotent stem cells, modern transcriptomics, and bioinformatics as a unique scientific tool to define the link between environmental and intracellular pollution, its outcome on early human development and origin of diseases. This commentary is an urgent appeal to the scientific and policy communities to invest more time and resources to establish reliable standards and methods to define and address the consequences of plastic pollution on human health. (C) 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

Increasing plastic pollution causes long-lasting irreversible harm to the environment. While data on plastic pollution includes marine and terrestrial ecosystems, the impact of microplastics on human health is still unknown. There is an urgent need for the scientific and policy communities to invest more time and resources in researching the consequences of plastic pollution on human health.