GoKawiilColumbia study finds microplastics chemically react inside the body
Researchers from Columbia University, publishing in Nature, found that common consumer-grade microplastics are not chemically inert but instead generate reactive, high-energy radicals when exposed to water-rich environments like the human body. Study co-author Wei Min said this activity stems from the massive surface area created as plastic breaks into smaller fragments, and likely contributes to biological damage seen in animals and potentially humans.