Microplastics are tiny plastic particles, usually less than 5 millimeters in size, that result from the breakdown of larger plastics or are manufactured for specific uses.
Nanoplastics, typically smaller than 1 micrometer (micron), are formed from the further breakdown of microplastics and can slip inside cells by crossing cell membranes.
Both types can harm people and the environment by accumulating in organisms, disrupting ecosystems, and potentially causing toxic or inflammatory effects in living tissues.
