{"title":"Microplastic entry into the ocular surface through eye drops usage","authors":"Yi Wang, Binbin Zhang, Minhu Li, Jiaolong Huang, Meijuan Zhu, Weicheng Zhang","doi":"10.1007/s10311-025-01873-0","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p>Microplastics can enter the human body through various pathways, but their entry into the eyes remains unproven. Since commercial eye drops contain large amounts of microplastics, we hypothesized that microplastics could enter the eyes when applying eye drops. We analyzed 5 samples of eye drops, and ocular surface lavage fluid from 14 volunteers. Then we studied the migration of microplastics and their ocular damage in in vivo rat experiments. Results show a widespread occurrence of microplastics in eye drops and on human ocular surface. We also found that microplastics can even enter the bloodstream via ocular surface. Overall, commercial eye drops appear as an overlooked pathway for microplastic deposition on the human ocular surface. As a consequence, microplastics could elevate ocular oxidative stress, and trigger ocular inflammation.</p>","PeriodicalId":541,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Chemistry Letters","volume":"23 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":20.4000,"publicationDate":"2025-08-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Environmental Chemistry Letters","FirstCategoryId":"93","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s10311-025-01873-0","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"CHEMISTRY, MULTIDISCIPLINARY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Microplastics can enter the human body through various pathways, but their entry into the eyes remains unproven. Since commercial eye drops contain large amounts of microplastics, we hypothesized that microplastics could enter the eyes when applying eye drops. We analyzed 5 samples of eye drops, and ocular surface lavage fluid from 14 volunteers. Then we studied the migration of microplastics and their ocular damage in in vivo rat experiments. Results show a widespread occurrence of microplastics in eye drops and on human ocular surface. We also found that microplastics can even enter the bloodstream via ocular surface. Overall, commercial eye drops appear as an overlooked pathway for microplastic deposition on the human ocular surface. As a consequence, microplastics could elevate ocular oxidative stress, and trigger ocular inflammation.
期刊介绍：
Environmental Chemistry Letters explores the intersections of geology, chemistry, physics, and biology. Published articles are of paramount importance to the examination of both natural and engineered environments. The journal features original and review articles of exceptional significance, encompassing topics such as the characterization of natural and impacted environments, the behavior, prevention, treatment, and control of mineral, organic, and radioactive pollutants. It also delves into interfacial studies involving diverse media like soil, sediment, water, air, organisms, and food. Additionally, the journal covers green chemistry, environmentally friendly synthetic pathways, alternative fuels, ecotoxicology, risk assessment, environmental processes and modeling, environmental technologies, remediation and control, and environmental analytical chemistry using biomolecular tools and tracers.
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