Microplastic (MP) contamination is a pervasive global health issue. These tiny particles are now found in our water, food, and even within human tissues. Ingestion has been linked to severe health problems, including intestinal inflammation, oxidative stress, and liver dysfunction, signaling a clear and present danger to long-term public health.

Despite these dangers, there are currently no effective strategies to reduce the bioaccessibility or mitigate the cellular toxicity of MPs. This gap in public health protection highlights the need for novel, nature-inspired solutions.

PHYSICAL IMPACT

MP ingestion primarily affects the digestive and hepatic systems, as particles cross the gut barrier and accumulate in the liver. This leads to:

• Digestive dysfunction: MPs can disrupt intestinal integrity and nutrient absorption.
• Hepatic oxidative stress: Studies show that aminated MPs trigger reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, mitochondrial damage, and lipid peroxidation in liver cells.
• Bioaccessibility risk: Our results demonstrated that MPs alone had high solubility in simulated digestion (~28.9%), making them easily absorbable.

MENTAL AND SOCIETAL IMPACT

Beyond physical damage, the knowledge that microplastics are present in human food and tissues carries psychological and societal consequences:

• Anxiety over food safety: Continuous reports of MPs in seafood, bottled water, and salt erode consumer trust.
• Public health burden: Chronic exposure may increase risks of liver disease, cancer, and metabolic disorders, adding costs to healthcare systems.
• Equity concerns: Vulnerable populations in polluted regions or with limited access to safe food are at greater risk.

KEY STRATEGIES

• Raising awareness about microplastic ingestion risks.
• Developing dietary interventions (e.g., ginseng supplementation) to mitigate toxicity.
• Investing in biological and food-based approaches to reduce human exposure.

ETHICS

Ethical considerations shaped our project:

• Human safety: While ginseng is widely consumed, we considered how high doses might impact health and emphasized testing under simulated digestion and cell-based assays before moving toward human relevance.
• Animal-free testing: We used HepG2 liver cells and in vitro digestion models, minimising animal experiments while still producing meaningful data.
• Transparency: Our results highlight both the promise and the limitations of ginseng extract — aggregation reduces MP bioaccessibility, but long-term clinical effects remain to be studied.

INTEGRATED HUMAN PRACTICES

Our Human Practices work was guided by interdisciplinary perspectives:

• Food science & nutrition experts encouraged us to frame ginseng as a functional food with potential applications in dietary health.
• Environmental researchers highlighted the urgency of addressing MPs not only in humans but also in ecosystems.
• Healthcare discussions underscored how oxidative stress and hepatic toxicity are critical targets for preventive strategies.

By integrating these perspectives, our project contributes to the broader dialogue on dietary mitigation of environmental toxins.