Hannah Ernst

Nanoplastics are a part of our everyday lives. Find out what the main sources are, what effects they have on the environment as well as human health, and what you can do to help.

While you may have heard of microplastics, you might wonder: what are nanoplastics? As the name suggests, nanoplastics are especially small microplastics and are defined as synthetic polymers ranging from 1 nanometer to 1 micrometer (0,001 millimeters). Microplastics are currently defined as plastic pieces smaller than 5 millimeters, which is why nanoplastics are, strictly speaking, a subcategory of microplastics.

Originally reported in 2004, their effects on humans, animals and the environment have garnered increased attention in recent years. In this article, we’ll dive into how nanoplastics typically enter waterways, what implications they have for humans, animals as well as the environment and industrial as well as personal efforts to mitigate the pollution with nanoplastics.