Study: Water Activates Microplastics, Generating Harmful Radicals
A new study in Nature challenges the assumption that plastics are chemically inert. Researchers found that when microplastics interact with water, they spontaneously generate reactive oxygen species (ROS), specifically hydroxyl radicals. This chemical activity, which increases with the plastic's hydrophobicity, may contribute to cellular damage, inflammation, and disease. While the exact contribution to human health remains uncertain, the findings suggest that the interface between water and plastic is a critical factor in toxicity.