Interview with Nadiia Yakovenko, PhD, Postdoctoral researcher at Université de Toulouse, France, and Jeroen E. Sonke, CNRS Research Director, Université de Toulouse, France

Interview with Nadiia Yakovenko, PhD, Postdoctoral researcher at Université de Toulouse, France, and Jeroen E. Sonke, CNRS Research Director, Université de Toulouse, France

Authors of PLOS One paper: Yakovenko N, Pérez-Serrano L, Segur T, Hagelskjaer O, Margenat H, Le Roux G, et al. (2025) Human exposure to PM₁₀ microplastics in indoor air. PLoS One 20(7): e0328011. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0328011

What first drew you to study human exposure to microplastics?

Plastic is a very convenient and important material in our daily lives, which has become an integral part of our modern existence. But due to its progressive degradation into microplastics, we are now detecting its presence in the food we eat, the water we drink, and the air we breathe. This fine line between the benefits of plastic and its unintended entry into the human body, and what that could mean for our health, is exactly what motivated our research.

What did you choose to investigate in this study, and why?

In this study, our research team investigated indoor environments to understand how many microplastics are present in the air we breathe every day. People spend an average of 90% of their time indoors, including homes, workplaces, shops, transportation, etc., and all the while they are exposed to microplastic pollution through inhalation without even thinking about it. Thus, we investigated our homes and personal vehicles, environments that are often overlooked, yet play a major role in our daily exposure.

What are the key findings from your research?

The key finding of this work is that more than 90% of the plastic particles we detected were smaller than 10 µm. These particles are smaller than a speck of dust and more than 7 times thinner than the width of a single strand of hair. Upon inhalation, they can penetrate deep into the lungs. The concentration we found is 100-fold higher than previous extrapolated estimates. Just as we learned during the COVID pandemic, that something we can’t see can still harm us, our findings show that microplastics in the air, especially indoors, may be an invisible threat we are only beginning to understand.

What most surprised or interested you about your findings?

What surprised us the most was how much microplastics were present in the air of the environments we consider safe and familiar, like our homes and cars. We often associate plastic pollution with oceans or industrial areas, but our findings showed that the everyday indoor environment where we spend most of our time can be a major source of human exposure. The number of particles we found was both surprising and concerning, and is the result of the degradation of numerous plastic objects in our homes, including carpet, curtains, paint, textiles, and other household items.

How can microplastic inhalation negatively impact us?

When microplastics are inhaled, these tiny particles can enter deep into our respiratory system and potentially cause inflammation or irritation. Microplastics carry toxic additives, such as bisphenol A, or phthalates, which can reach our bloodstream. While research is still ongoing, there is concern that long-term exposure to microplastics and their additives may contribute to respiratory problems, disrupt endocrine function and increase risk for neurodevelopmental disorders, reproductive birth defects, infertility, cardiovascular disease, and cancers.

Many people will have heard about microplastics in our oceans, but your research focused on microplastics in our homes and cars. What was known about these sources of exposure, and why did you hone in on these?

Research into microplastics in the air is a relatively new topic compared to the study of plastic pollution in the ocean, which has been extensively documented for 20 years. Recent studies on microplastics in indoor air have targeted larger particles down to 20 micrometers which are less abundant and do not penetrate the lungs. In our study we use Raman microscopy, which is a more powerful technique, to quantify even the smallest microplastics down to 1 micrometer. All these studies clearly show that microplastic concentrations are much higher indoors than outdoors, which increases the concern for its health impacts. By studying indoor environments more closely, we hope to shed light on a more personal and constant route of microplastic exposure through inhalation that has so far remained under the radar.

Can you tell us more about why car cabins can be a significant source of microplastic exposure?

Car cabins can be a significant source of microplastic exposure because they are small, enclosed spaces filled with plastic-based materials, like dashboards, seat fabrics, carpets, etc. These materials can shed tiny plastic particles over time, especially by solar irradiance, friction, heat and daily use. Unlike homes, car cabins often have limited ventilation, allowing microplastic particles to accumulate and concentrate in the air.  As a result, they can be inhaled in higher amounts during regular commutes or long drives.

What do you hope your findings might lead to, and what are the next steps for your research?

I hope that our findings will raise awareness about indoor air as a significant source of microplastic exposure through inhalation. This knowledge could help guide future public health recommendations, indoor air quality standards, or even changes in products and materials we use. As for the next step, our team plans to study a wider variety of indoor environments and explore how different conditions or daily habits might affect the level of microplastic exposure. Ultimately, our goal is to better understand the sources and behavior of microplastic particles indoors in order to more accurately assess their potential health effects.

Interview edited by PLOS staff for clarity and concision.