THE HIDDEN PLASTIC PATHWAY: MICROPLASTIC MIGRATION FROM ENTERAL AND PARENTERAL NUTRITION SYSTEMS IN INTENSIVE CARE

Enteral  and  parenteral  nutrition  are  essential  for  critically  ill  patients  who  cannot  meet  their  nutritional needs by ordinary eating. Both routes bring nutrient solutions into contact with containers,  connectors, syringes, filters and tubing, many of which contain polymers. These materials may be  sources  of  microscopic  plastic  particles  or  chemical  constituents  that  migrate  into  fluids.  This  narrative review examines potential pathways of microplastic exposure through nutrition systems in  intensive  care, summarizes  emerging evidence, and  identifies practical and  research  priorities