PLASTAMINATION, HUMAN HEALTH, AND COUNTRIES’ CULTURAL ORIENTATION: AN EXPLORATORY STUDY IN PREVENTING THE NEGATIVE EFFECTS ADOPTING ORGANIZATIONAL POLICIES AND PRACTICES

Giuseppe PERNA¹, Rosaria MECCARIELLO², Luisa VARRIALE³ | ¹Pegaso University; ²Parthenope University DiSMMeB; ³Parthenope University DiSEGIM, Naples, Italy

In the last two decades, numerous studies have outlined the negative effects on human health of the diffusion of environmental plastic contamination (PLASTAMINATION) in daily life, especially with reference to the central nervous system and reproduction. Likewise, other studies have investigated the dangerous impact of PLASTAMINATION on the natural ecosystem, with serious risks for the survival of the Earth and its inhabitants. In this direction, researchers and practitioners tend to define, identify, and develop effective solutions, also using advanced technologies, for reducing the overall negative impact of PLASTAMINATION. This exploratory study aims to examine the PLASTAMINATION phenomenon, adopting a multidisciplinary approach to identify possible organizational initiatives and practices to prevent the same phenomenon, also through specific and effective managerial, educational and training programs, including the countries’ cultural orientation. Starting from a brief description of the origins and evolution of PLASTAMINATION phenomenon, looking at both the environmental and human health dimensions, this study provides a bibliometric analysis of contributions in the literature from 1974 to June 2025. The articles were extracted from the Web of Science database and analyzed using VoSViewer software. In reviewing the main contributions in the literature, the primary focus is divided into three main objectives: (1) to identify and examine new and emerging trends in the field of PLASTAMINATION considering several scientific disciplinary perspectives (biology, medicine, management, engineering, and so forth), (2) to predict future-forward trends in PLASTAMINATION, (3) to identify and propose effective organizational solutions (practices, policies, actions, programs and so on) to prevent and manage the PLASTAMINATION phenomenon starting from the cultural and social values and considering the role of technologies as well as of the entire global community. A bibliometric analysis of existing literature published in the last six decades highlights the significance of advanced technologies in the context of PLASTAMINATION, with concern for the need to adopt an organizational, cultural, social, and medical perspective.

1. Abel, S. M., Courtney-Mustaphi, C., Damber, M., & Burkhardt-Holm, P. (2025). Remote Alpine Lakes and Microplastic Accumulation: Insights from Sediment Analysis of Lake Cadagno. Microplastics, 4(2), 25.
2. Casella, C., Cornelli, U., Zanoni, G., Moncayo, P., & Ramos-Guerrero, L. (2025). Health Risks from Microplastics in Intravenous Infusions: Evidence from Italy, Spain, and Ecuador. Toxics, 13(7), 597.
3. Grattagliano, A., Grattagliano, Z., Manfra, L., Libralato, G., Biandolino, F., & Prato, E. (2025). An Overview on Microplastics Hazards to the Marine Ecosystem and Humans’ Health. Water, 17(7), 916.
4. Li, L., Fu, W., Liu, Y., Gou, F., Gao, Y., & Xing, Z. (2025). Research progress on methods, mechanisms, and applications of activated carbon preparation from waste plastics by pyrolysis. Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management, 1-22.
5.Nashwan, A. J., Singh, K., & Singh, K. (2025). Plastamination: A One Health and Planetary Health Perspective on a Rising Global Crisis. Cureus, 17(7).
6. Santoro, A., Marino, M., Vandenberg, L. N., Szychlinska, M. A., Lamparelli, E. P., Scalia, F., ... & Meccariello, R. (2024). PLASTAMINATION: outcomes on the central nervous system and reproduction. Current Neuropharmacology, 22(11), 1870-1898.