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.