22/04/2026
are plastic fragments smaller than 5 mm (about 1/16 of an inch) that result from breakdown of plastic litter in the environment.
More than 13 000 chemicals are associated with plastics, including about 4200 chemicals of concern and 10 chemical groups identified as highly toxic substances.
This JAMA Patient Page describes microplastics and the potential health effects of human exposure to microplastics.
https://ja.ma/4ev3cR6