A study on microplastics published last week shows that levels of plastic particles were about 50% higher in brain samples from 2024 compared to 2016.

Research into the health effects of microplastics and nanoplastics is still emerging as the body of work is less than a decade old. Higher concentrations of plastics in our environment are linked to their larger presence in humans.

Florida State University Associate Professor Gregg Stanwood is a developmental neuropharmacologist and behavioral neuroscientist in the College of Medicine. He said the microplastics study raises key questions about the effect of plastics on our health, but cautions more research is needed to better understand the consequences.

“Initial indications from research studies in people, as well as model organisms like isolated cells, zebrafish and rodents, suggest that microplastic exposures contribute to increased risk of serious health conditions, including neurodegenerative diseases,” said Stanwood. “It’s too soon to quantify the exact degree of those increased risks.”

Civil & Environmental Engineering Assistant Professor Jeffrey Farner has expertise in microplastics and nanoplastics, and is focused on their detection, prevalence and exposure. He explains that their omnipresence in today’s environment is due to two factors.

“The first is that global plastic production continues to increase. Approximately 400 million tons of plastics are produced annually, and this number has increased year on year,” Farner said. “The second reason is that plastic use leads to release into the environment both intentionally and due to mismanagement or poor waste streams.”

Media with questions on the health-related concepts of the microplastics study can contact Stanwood at gregg.stanwood@med.fsu.edu.

Farner is available to answer questions on the environmental impact of microplastics and can be contacted at jfarner@eng.famu.fsu.edu.

Gregg Stanwood, Associate Professor, FSU College of Medicine

Should consumers exercise any caution when it comes to using plastic materials?

“Unfortunately, microplastics and other pollutants are fairly pervasive in our environment. Nevertheless, there are some actions consumers can take to reduce their exposure, including avoiding single-use plastics like cups, eating utensils and straws. Re-usable ones are better. People should also avoid microwaving food in plastic containers and avoid foods with excessive plastic packaging. Support the continuation and expansion of large well-controlled studies at the national level to allow these innovative researchers to continue this important work.”

 Jeffrey Farner, Assistant Professor, FAMU-FSU College of Engineering

The study makes it clear that microplastic levels continue to rise. How have microplastics become so prevalent?

“We produce more plastic. and we don’t have a closed loop. A key aspect is that microplastics exist either as intentionally produced or as a result of weathering or breakdown of larger plastics. Relatively few microplastics are intentionally produced. But, while a plastic bottle or bag is not intentionally produced to be a microplastic, if that plastic is littered or left out in the environment, it’s going to become brittle and break down, releasing microplastics.

 “These microplastics will themselves break down into smaller microplastics and nanoplastics with time and exposure to UV light, heat and other stresses. Plastic doesn’t degrade in the environment and cease to be plastic; it breaks down into microplastics and nanoplastics. Which means one individual piece of plastic – be it a bag, a bottle, packaging, construction material, plastic landscape fabric, etc., can become millions or billions of tiny particles that are then carried by the wind, dispersed in water, or get mixed into our soils.”

 While much more data remains to be seen, what do we know right now about human exposure to microplastics?

“Human exposure comes from an incredibly wide variety of sources, but they all basically come down to what we breathe and what we ingest. Our skin is generally quite good at keeping particles out of the body. Airborne microplastics and nanoplastics exist as small particles and fibers that then are either inhaled, or deposited onto food or into liquids and are ingested. Inhaled microplastics can enter the lungs, and smaller particles are more apt to travel deeper into the lungs and alveoli. For ingested particles, estimates have suggested that we may consume the equivalent of a credit card (approximately 5 grams) a week. These come from plastics found in the food and drinks we consume as well as deposited airborne particles.”

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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently approved the medication Zepbound for weight management treatment.

Tirzepatide, the active ingredient in the Eli Lilly and Company’s trademarked Zepbound, was already approved to help improve blood sugar (glucose) in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Approximately 70% of American adults have obesity or are overweight. Losing 5% to 10% of body weight has been associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease.

Florida State University Associate Professor Gregg Stanwood explores the effects of gene and environmental interactions on brain development. He is available to speak to reporters covering the approval of Zepbound and similar medications.

Gregg Stanwood, associate professor, College of Medicine
(850) 644-2271; gregg.stanwood@med.fsu.edu

Stanwood is a developmental neuropharmacologist and behavioral neuroscientist. He works to discover adaptations in neuronal signaling that result from disruption of normal neurotransmitter signaling and to develop new behavioral and drug therapies. In a recent study, his lab showed that the receptors targeted by drugs that treat metabolism, diabetes and obesity, are also involved in the addictive effects of cocaine and other drugs of abuse.

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Two Florida State University faculty members will receive Rising Star Awards from the Academy of Science, Engineering and Medicine of Florida.

Mariana Fuentes, an associate professor in the Department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Science in the College of Arts and Sciences, and Gregg Stanwood, an associate professor in the College of Medicine, will be honored at the organization’s annual meeting, which takes place Nov. 3-4 in Orlando.

Fuentes’ research provides a critical scientific basis to help in the recovery of marine turtles and other threatened marine species. Her multidisciplinary approach improves our understanding of fundamental ecological questions and helps determine how marine species will be impacted by different disturbances. Her recent work focuses on how sea turtles are impacted by recreational fisheries, vessel interactions and climate change.

“My research allows managers and decision makers to better anticipate and mitigate impacts to marine wildlife, and to identify what stressors they should be mitigating to maximize conservation of species,” Fuentes said. “By managing and conserving marine megafauna, we’re enabling the ecosystems to be healthy, and that has a positive cascading effect to the whole ocean.”

Stanwood is a developmental neurobiologist who explores the effects of gene and environmental interactions on brain development. In a recent study, his lab showed that the receptors targeted by drugs that treat metabolism, diabetes and obesity — Ozempic is one popular example — are also involved in the addictive effects of cocaine and other drugs of abuse. An upcoming project funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will examine the interactions of harmful chemicals and psychosocial stressors such as adverse childhood experiences on children in the southwestern Florida community of Immokalee.

“I’m really excited to be part of a team that’s gathering new sources of data to assemble to make new models for cumulative risk exposures,” Stanwood said. “I think this is very impactful and can change lives positively, not just for members of the Immokalee community, but can also be adapted for other communities across the state and across the nation. Our team is uniquely positioned to evaluate both chemical and nonchemical stressors jointly – for the first time.”

Fuentes and Stanwood are among 11 faculty members from Florida universities who will be honored as rising stars. Other faculty come from the University of Florida, University of Miami, University of Central Florida and Florida International University.

The Academy of Science, Engineering and Medicine of Florida (ASEMFL) was established in 2018 and works to inform Floridians of current and future science, engineering and medicine issues and address associated challenges. The organization provides unbiased expertise for issues that concern the state and helps facilitate scientific interactions.

The academy also named Pamela Keel, Distinguished Research Professor in the Department of Psychology in the College of Arts and Sciences, and Theo Siegrist, a chemical and biomedical engineering professor at the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, for membership in this year’s class.

To be selected for ASEMFL membership, individuals must live or work in Florida and be a member of the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine, or be nominated by an ASEMFL member and have an outstanding record of accomplishments, national and international recognition.

Visit asemfl.org for more information about the organization and this year’s meeting.

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