Microplastics have potential to induce inflammation in human brain cells
Image Credit: NewsBytes
Weathered microplastics pose a more significant threat to human brain cells than unweathered ones, according to a study. Researchers found that these microplastics can cross the mammalian brain-blood barrier, causing a severe inflammatory response in the brain. Mice exposed to weathered microplastics experienced increased inflammation and brain cell death, likely due to changes in plastics' surface area and chemical bonds after exposure to sunlight.