# Microplastics React With Water, Creating New Biological Hazards New research reveals microplastics trigger chemical reactions that damage essential cellular structures. - **Source:** [Science Latest](https://brifing.si/source/ebc20f22-8d1a-4ae4-ba4c-efcd0853ba19) - **Published:** 2026-10-17 - **Topic:** [Business](https://brifing.si/c/business) - **Original article:** - **On Brifing:** https://brifing.si/s/617a6482-71ff-47cd-b84a-9de0844e56f3 ## Challenging Chemical Stability Assumptions Plastic is traditionally considered chemically stable, which explains its widespread use in food packaging and water bottles. However, researchers from Columbia University and UC Berkeley have discovered that microplastics are not as inert as previously assumed. Their findings indicate that water exposure makes microplastic surfaces chemically active, creating potential biological hazards. ## Surface Area Drives Reactivity The study suggests that the reactivity of microplastics stems from their massive surface area. As larger plastic items fragment into microscopic pieces, the available surface area for chemical reactions increases significantly. This process occurs under normal environmental conditions without requiring sunlight or external degradation agents, challenging previous models of plastic behavior. ## Formation of Reactive Radicals Wei Min, a professor at Columbia, explains that microplastics generate high-energy, reactive radicals in surrounding water. These molecules, specifically hydroxyl radicals, are capable of snatching electrons from proteins and fats within cell membranes. This disruption of cellular structure and function represents a significant departure from the perceived inert nature of larger plastics. ## Overwhelming Biological Antioxidant Defenses Human bodies utilize antioxidants to neutralize reactive chemicals, but this defense mechanism can be easily overwhelmed. When reactive compounds outnumber antioxidants, the body experiences oxidative stress. This condition leads to cellular damage, a response previously observed in microplastic exposure studies, though the specific chemical mechanisms remained largely misunderstood until this research. ## Hemolysis in Red Blood Cells Researchers tested the impact of microplastics on red blood cells extracted from mice. The contact caused cells to become deformed and rupture, a process known as hemolysis. The severity of the damage correlated directly with the reactivity of the specific plastic types, confirming that surface chemical activity drives this cellular destruction. ## Risks Within Human Bloodstream The research team expressed particular concern regarding the impact on blood, which is primarily composed of water. If microplastics chemically activate upon contact with blood, their presence inside the body poses dangers beyond the pollutants they carry. This suggests that the plastic particles themselves are active agents of biological harm. ## Shifting Focus in Toxicology Previous research on microplastics primarily focused on physical effects or chemicals leaching from the particles. By treating the plastic itself as chemically inert, earlier studies may have overlooked the primary source of toxicity. This new data forces a reevaluation of how microscopic plastic fragments interact with the biological systems they inhabit. ## Implications for Future Research While the extent of microplastic infiltration in human tissues remains a subject of debate, these findings highlight a critical, previously ignored mechanism. If even small amounts of microplastics exist in human tissues, they could be actively reacting with bodily fluids. Future studies must now account for this spontaneous, surface-level chemical reactivity. ## Sources covering this story - https://www.wired.com/story/microplastics-react-with-water-new-study-says-thats-a-problem-for-biology/ — --- _Summary written by Brifing from the original reporting. Copyright in the original article belongs to its publisher; read the full piece at the link above._