Do you consider it important to focus on the fight against plastic pollution?

Tackling plastic pollution is definitely an urgent priority. It is not only an environmental challenge, but a growing threat to public health. Increasing scientific evidence shows that plastic waste, as it degrades, generates micro- and nanoplastics capable of infiltrating food, drinking water and even the air we breathe. This implies a constant exhibition in everyday life. Furthermore, there is concern that these plastic fragments can act as vectors for toxic compounds, including heavy metals or persistent pollutants, which could amplify their effects on the body. Possible biological impacts include inflammation, oxidative stress and genetic damage, underscoring the urgency of taking action.
 

How can this problem be addressed from your research area ?

From analytical Chemistry we can detect and quantify the presence of markers of plastic contamination in humans and animals, in the environment, food or medicines. This analytical capability not only allows us to assess the magnitude of exhibition, but also to trace routes of entrance and accumulation in organisms, which is core topic to understand potential risks and support decision making subject public health and environmental regulation.
 

Are you participating in any project related to this issue? If not, what project would you like to implement to tackle plastic pollution?

At the moment we are not part of a specific initiative focused on the study of plastic pollution. However, it would be very interesting to develop a joint proposal with specialists in ecotoxicology and food. The idea would be to launch amultidisciplinary project to analyze the presence of micro- and nanoplastics in food products and drinking water, while assessing their possible toxic effects using human cellular models. The approach would mainly focus on studying their capacity to induce inflammation, cellular stress and genetic damage, in order to better understand the health risks.

* María Elena González Peñas belongs to the School of Pharmacy and Nutrition. Learn more about her research.