Microplastic and Nanoplastic Exposures, Gut Microbiome Disruption, and Nutritional Health: A One Health Systematic Review of Human and Translational Evidence-Systematic Review

Vicente Manuel Martinez Cardenas, Vivian Rosario Mena Miranda

Abstract: Background: Food, drinking water, food-contact materials, and infant-feeding products are important interfaces for exposure to microplastics, nanoplastics, and associated contaminants. Their effects on the gut microbiome and host metabolism create a One Health problem linking nutritional, human, animal, and ecosystem health. Objective: To synthesize recent human and translational evidence on microplastic exposure, emphasizing gut microbiome disruption, nutritional pathways, One Health, and multi-omics. Methods: PubMed/MEDLINE and Europe PMC were searched for English-language reports published from January 1, 2021, through September 12, 2026; supplementary citation searching identified additional reports. Eligibility was restricted to primary studies examining a defined microplastic or nanoplastic exposure together with host-associated intestinal microbiota, experimentally generated omics data relevant to host response, or a human nutritional-exposure pathway. Environmental and mechanistic publications not meeting these primary criteria were retained only for contextual interpretation. Results: The reconstructed evidence set comprised 29 primary studies and 16 contextual sources. Primary evidence described context-dependent dysbiosis, altered microbial metabolites, epithelial injury, oxidative stress, inflammation, and perturbation of gut-organ axes. Food processing, heating, storage, and infant-feeding materials emerged as potentially modifiable exposure points. Fiber-, prebiotic-, probiotic-, and polyphenol-oriented strategies remain preclinical or hypothesis-generating; no omics-guided or dietary treatment is validated for routine care. Conclusions: Current evidence supports exposure reduction, standardized measurement, and prospective human research. Multi-omics may improve mechanistic characterization and trial stratification, but clinical recommendations must not be inferred directly from animal, aquatic, or in-vitro findings.

Keywords: microplastics; gut microbiome; nutritional exposure; multi-omics; One Health; precision prevention

How to Cite?: Vicente Manuel Martinez Cardenas, Vivian Rosario Mena Miranda, "Microplastic and Nanoplastic Exposures, Gut Microbiome Disruption, and Nutritional Health: A One Health Systematic Review of Human and Translational Evidence-Systematic Review", Volume 15 Issue 9, September 2026, International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR), Pages: 1284-1296, https://www.ijsr.net/getabstract.php?paperid=SR26917183702, DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.21275/SR26917183702

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