Microplastics: a silent threat to your kidneys?
2026
Plastic pollution is now everywhere. We are exposed to it every day, through the air we breathe, the water we drink and the food we eat. Beyond their ubiquity, a key question arises: what is their impact on the human body?
The presence and potential effects of micro/nanoplastics and the substances they carry are the subject of a growing number of scientific publications. However, many grey areas remain. Together with my colleagues from CHUV, Prof. Menno Pruijm and Dr Giliane Nanchen, as well as Dr Myriam Borgatta from UNISanté, we asked ourselves a specific question:
Do micro/nanoplastics pose a silent threat to our kidneys?
And if so, what could be their effects on kidney health?
This joint reflection by doctors and scientists from CHUV, EPFL and UNISanté is the subject of an article published today in the Swiss Medical Journal, in an issue devoted to nephrology. This publication aims to open up scientific debate, encourage research and raise awareness of this emerging issue among the medical community. Micro/nanoplastics are no longer just an environmental problem, but also represent a major challenge for public health.