FN Archimer Export Format PT J TI A Children’s Health Perspective on Nano- and Microplastics BT AF Sripada, Kam Wierzbicka, Aneta Abass, Khaled Grimalt, Joan O. Erbe, Andreas Röllin, Halina B. Weihe, Pál Díaz, Gabriela Jiménez Singh, Randolph Visnes, Torkild Rautio, Arja Odland, Jon Øyvind Wagner, Martin AS 1:1,2;2:3,4;3:5,6;4:7;5:8;6:9,10;7:11;8:12;9:13;10:14;11:15;12:9,12,16;13:17; FF 1:;2:;3:;4:;5:;6:;7:;8:;9:;10:;11:;12:;13:; C1 Centre for Digital Life Norway, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway Centre for Global Health Inequalities Research (CHAIN), NTNU, Trondheim, Norway Ergonomics and Aerosol Technology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden Centre for Healthy Indoor Environments, Lund University, Lund, Sweden Arctic Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland Department of Pesticides, Menoufia University, Menoufia, Egypt Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain Department of Materials Science and Engineering, NTNU, Trondheim, Norway School of Health Systems and Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa Environment and Health Research Unit, Medical Research Council, Johannesburg, South Africa Department of Occupational Medicine and Public Health, Faroese Hospital System, Faroe Islands Department of Public Health and Nursing, Faculty of Medicine and Health Science, NTNU, Trondheim, Norway Laboratoire Biogéochimie des Contaminants Organiques, Institut français de recherche pour l’exploitation de la mer, Nantes, France Department of Biotechnology and Nanomedicine, SINTEF Industry, Trondheim, Norway Arctic Health, Thule Institute, University of Oulu and University of the Arctic, Oulu, Finland Department of General Hygiene, I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow, Russia Department of Biology, NTNU, Trondheim, Norway C2 UNIV NORWEGIAN NTNU, NORWAY UNIV NORWEGIAN NTNU, NORWAY UNIV LUND, SWEDEN UNIV LUND, SWEDEN UNIV OULU, FINLAND UNIV MENOUFIA, EGYPT IDAEA, SPAIN UNIV NORWEGIAN NTNU, NORWAY UNIV PRETORIA, SOUTH AFRICA SAMRC, SOUTH AFRICA DEPARTM OCCUPATIONAL MEDICINE PUBLIC HEALTH, FAROE ISLANDS UNIV NORWEGIAN NTNU, NORWAY Laboratoire Biogéochimie des Contaminants Organiques, Institut français de recherche pour l’exploitation de la mer, Nantes, France SINTEF, NORWAY UNIV OULU, FINLAND UNIV SECHENOV, RUSSIA UNIV NORWEGIAN NTNU, NORWAY IF 10.5 TC 27 UR https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00750/86179/91433.pdf https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00750/86179/91434.pdf https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00750/86179/91435.pdf LA English DT Article AB Background: Pregnancy, infancy, and childhood are sensitive windows for environmental exposures. Yet the health effects of exposure to nano- and microplastics (NMPs) remain largely uninvestigated or unknown. Although plastic chemicals are a well-established research topic, the impacts of plastic particles are unexplored, especially with regard to early life exposures. Objectives: This commentary aims to summarize the knowns and unknowns around child- and pregnancy-relevant exposures to NMPs via inhalation, placental transfer, ingestion and breastmilk, and dermal absorption. Methods: A comprehensive literature search to map the state of the science on NMPs found 37 primary research articles on the health relevance of NMPs during early life and revealed major knowledge gaps in the field. We discuss opportunities and challenges for quantifying child-specific exposures (e.g., NMPs in breastmilk or infant formula) and health effects, in light of global inequalities in baby bottle use, consumption of packaged foods, air pollution, hazardous plastic disposal, and regulatory safeguards. We also summarize research needs for linking child health and NMP exposures and address the unknowns in the context of public health action. Discussion: Few studies have addressed child-specific sources of exposure, and exposure estimates currently rely on generic assumptions rather than empirical measurements. Furthermore, toxicological research on NMPs has not specifically focused on child health, yet children’s immature defense mechanisms make them particularly vulnerable. Apart from few studies investigating the placental transfer of NMPs, the physicochemical properties (e.g., polymer, size, shape, charge) driving the absorption, biodistribution, and elimination in early life have yet to be benchmarked. Accordingly, the evidence base regarding the potential health impacts of NMPs in early life remains sparse. Based on the evidence to date, we provide recommendations to fill research gaps, stimulate policymakers and industry to address the safety of NMPs, and point to opportunities for families to reduce early life exposures to plastic. PY 2022 PD JAN SO Environmental Health Perspectives SN 0091-6765 PU Environmental Health Perspectives VL 130 IS 1 UT 000751258100015 DI 10.1289/EHP9086 ID 86179 ER EF