The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences has awarded a five-year, $3.3 million grant to a University of Cincinnati College of Medicine researcher to study the potential cardiovascular toxicity of microplastics and nanoplastics, collectively known as MNPs. The research will bring together an interdisciplinary team from across the university.
As the topic moves from scientific journals into mainstream discussions, attention to microplastics and their potential impact on both health and the environment is increasing.
“This preclinical study will significantly advance our understanding of the toxicity of microplastics, particularly their potential contribution to heart diseases,” said Hong-Sheng Wang, PhD , the grant’s principal investigator and a professor in the Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Neurobiology. “It will position the University of Cincinnati at the forefront of research on how microplastics and nanoplastics may affect cardiovascular health.”
Microplastics and nanoplastics are tiny plastic particles that differ in size. They are typically generated from the breakdown of discarded plastic waste, Wang explained, or intentionally produced for consumer and industrial uses.
“MNPs are ubiquitous and persistent environmental pollutants. Human exposure is widespread, primarily through food, beverages, drinking water and even inhalation,” said Wang. “Exposure can trigger a range of harmful biological responses and is increasingly recognized as a threat to human health.”
MNPs can be absorbed through the digestive system and accumulate in organs, including the heart, raising concerns about microplastics and cardiovascular disease risk. However, their effects on the heart are not yet well understood. Wang pointed to a recent epidemiological study linking higher MNP exposure to increased cardiovascular events and mortality.
“More laboratory research is needed to understand what is really happening,” said Necati Kaval, PhD , a study collaborator and an adjunct instructor and research professional in the Department of Chemistry.
“A key part of this study is quantifying exposure levels,” said Wang. To do that, researchers will investigate how microplastics and nanoplastics distribute in animal model tissue following exposure and ingestion.
Kaval, who is also manager of the Sensors and Imaging Core Facility in the Department of Chemistry, will lead detection and quantification efforts using state-of-the-art analytical tools.
“It is important to learn where MNPs accumulate in cells and tissues,” said Kaval, an analytical and materials chemist. “Some microplastics, such as polyethylene, are chemically very similar to certain tissue materials, like fats and lipids, creating a kind of camouflage that makes detection challenging.”
Another major challenge in microplastics research has been the lack of suitable particles for testing. Researchers said the test materials need to have shapes and sizes similar to those found in the environment.
To address this, Kaval has established a method to produce particles that mimic real-world MNPs, which vary in shape and size rather than appearing uniform as in commercially available materials.
“These particles are essentially polymers, and I have expertise in producing micro- and nano-scale polymer particles,” he said.
Researchers will measure the concentration, size distribution and other properties of the particles before using them. Wang and his team will then conduct toxicology analyses to better understand how MNPs affect heart cells and tissue.
The team will also investigate whether exposure to microplastics and nanoplastics can worsen outcomes after a heart attack, as the recent preliminary study suggests. “We will test the hypothesis that environmental MNP exposure causes early myocardial and vascular abnormalities through oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction,” said Wang. “This toxicity may worsen outcomes following myocardial infarction (heart attack) and other cardiac ischemic injury (from lack of oxygen due to obstructed blood supply).”
Additionally, researchers will investigate how microplastics become toxic inside cells. When microplastics enter cardiac cells, the cells attempt to clear them but cannot break them down. “Microplastics can clog a cell’s waste disposal system, leading to harmful downstream effects,” said Wang.
UC researchers in cardiovascular toxicology and physiology, clinical cardiology, statistics, and analytical chemistry are collaborating on this microplastics and cardiovascular health research.
“We are trying to address a very challenging problem that cannot be solved without collaboration among experts from different fields,” said Kaval.
“Collaboration is what makes this project possible,” said Wang. “It demonstrates the research capabilities of UC when we put our strengths together.”
Other contributors include Jack Rubinstein, MD , and Jianyong Ma, MD, PhD .