{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,17]],"date-time":"2026-09-17T21:11:45Z","timestamp":1789679505427,"version":"4.0.1"},"reference-count":44,"publisher":"Wiley","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,6]],"date-time":"2026-04-06T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1775433600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/termsAndConditions#vor"},{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,6]],"date-time":"2026-04-06T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1775433600000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/doi.wiley.com\/10.1002\/tdm_license_1.1"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["onlinelibrary.wiley.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Environmental Toxicology"],"abstract":"<jats:title>ABSTRACT<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>\n                    Microplastics pollution is a widespread environmental issue in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), where factors such as urbanization, insufficient waste management, and coastal vulnerability may increase exposure risks. Microplastics can act as carriers for endocrine\u2010disrupting chemicals (EDCs), but a comprehensive synthesis of region\u2010specific evidence linking this contamination to reproductive health outcomes has been lacking. This systematic review examines the evidence regarding the impact of microplastics pollution on reproductive health across species in LAC, identifies contamination hotspots and exposure pathways, and highlights gaps in policy and research. Following PRISMA 2020 guidelines, we analyzed 30 peer\u2010reviewed studies (2014\u20132024) from 12 LAC nations. Due to significant heterogeneity in study designs, populations, and outcomes, a narrative synthesis was conducted to integrate evidence from environmental monitoring, animal toxicology, and human biomonitoring studies. Risk of bias was assessed using design\u2010specific tools. The evidence indicates widespread microplastics contamination in LAC, with notable hotspots in coastal Colombia (4.54 particles\/m\n                    <jats:sup>2<\/jats:sup>\n                    ), Argentine riverine systems (30\u2009780 particles\/m\n                    <jats:sup>2<\/jats:sup>\n                    ), and Mexican groundwater (18.3 particles\/L). Overall, 82% of assessed sites were classified as \u201cDirty\u201d to \u201cExtremely Dirty.\u201d Animal studies reported that microplastics exposure was associated with reproductive toxicity, including reduced sperm concentration and motility, ovarian fibrosis, and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)\u2010like phenotypes. Human biomarker studies found elevated urinary bisphenol A (BPA) levels in pregnant women from Caribbean countries, correlating with altered gonadotropin ratios. Dietary intake, particularly from seafood and beverages, was identified as a primary exposure pathway, while inhalable particles in urban air posed additional risks. No LAC country has established enforceable microplastics thresholds for drinking water or standardized biomonitoring protocols. This systematic review suggests that microplastics pollution is prevalent in LAC environments and is associated with adverse reproductive outcomes in animal models. Preliminary human data indicate potential exposure\u2010related endocrine effects, though causal inference is limited by the absence of direct microplastic exposure measurements and reliance on cross\u2010sectional EDC biomarker studies. The findings underscore the need for expanded biomonitoring, harmonized research methodologies, and region\u2010specific policy development to better understand and address potential public health implications.\n                  <\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1002\/tox.70085","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,7]],"date-time":"2026-04-07T06:06:12Z","timestamp":1775541972000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":3,"title":["Endocrine Disruption and Reproductive Health in Latin America and the Caribbean: A Systematic Review of Microplastics"],"prefix":"10.1002","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1655-2873","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Danladi C.","family":"Husaini","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Allied Health Department (Pharmacy Program), Faculty of Health Sciences University of Belize  Belmopan Belize"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Sanjana","family":"Punjabi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Allied Health Department (Pharmacy Program), Faculty of Health Sciences University of Belize  Belmopan Belize"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Tatyana","family":"Guild","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Allied Health Department (Pharmacy Program), Faculty of Health Sciences University of Belize  Belmopan Belize"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Elodia","family":"Solis","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Allied Health Department (Pharmacy Program), Faculty of Health Sciences University of Belize  Belmopan Belize"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0002-2445-2792","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Joel H.","family":"Chiroma","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Nursing University of Abuja Teaching Hospital  Abuja Nigeria"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7092-9382","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Chukwuemeka","family":"Nwokocha","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Basic Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medical Sciences University of the West Indies Mona  Mona Jamaica"},{"name":"School of Medicine, University of Belize  Belmopan Belize"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"311","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,6]]},"reference":[{"key":"e_1_2_13_2_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1126\/science.aad2062"},{"key":"e_1_2_13_3_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.scitotenv.2017.06.065"},{"issue":"1","key":"e_1_2_13_4_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"134","DOI":"10.1108\/AGJSR-08-2022-0140","article-title":"Indoor and Outdoor Air Pollutants as Emerging Public Health Threat in Latin America and the Caribbean: A Systematic Review","volume":"42","author":"Husaini D. C.","year":"2024","journal-title":"Arab Gulf Journal of Scientific Research"},{"issue":"1","key":"e_1_2_13_5_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"5698516","DOI":"10.1155\/2024\/5698516","article-title":"Plastic Waste in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC): Impact on the Environment and Public Health\u2014A Systematic Review","volume":"2024","author":"Husaini D. C.","year":"2024","journal-title":"Journal of Toxicology"},{"issue":"1","key":"e_1_2_13_6_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"122","DOI":"10.1186\/s43088-022-00305-0","article-title":"Air Pollution and Public Health in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC): A Systematic Review With Meta\u2010Analysis","volume":"11","author":"Husaini D. C.","year":"2022","journal-title":"Beni\u2010Suef University Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences"},{"key":"e_1_2_13_7_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/0734242X20984669"},{"key":"e_1_2_13_8_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.etap.2022.103631"},{"key":"e_1_2_13_9_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1289\/EHP4242"},{"key":"e_1_2_13_10_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.toxrep.2020.09.003"},{"key":"e_1_2_13_11_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.marpolbul.2021.112910"},{"key":"e_1_2_13_12_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.coesh.2017.10.002"},{"key":"e_1_2_13_13_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jenvman.2022.114698"},{"key":"e_1_2_13_14_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/jat.4874"},{"key":"e_1_2_13_15_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1136\/bmj.n71"},{"key":"e_1_2_13_16_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pmed.1000097"},{"key":"e_1_2_13_17_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3390\/toxics10100556"},{"issue":"7","key":"e_1_2_13_18_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"526","DOI":"10.1080\/15592294.2016.1182272","article-title":"Bisphenol A Causes Reproductive Toxicity, Decreases dnmt1 Transcription, and Reduces Global DNA Methylation in Breeding Zebrafish (\n                     Danio rerio\n                  )","volume":"11","author":"Laing L. 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Analyzing the Consumption Behavior of Plastic Bags of Households in Ecuador","volume":"152","author":"Zambrano\u2010Monserrate M. A.","year":"2020","journal-title":"Resources, Conservation and Recycling"},{"key":"e_1_2_13_39_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1016\/j.wasman.2021.04.043","article-title":"Sensitivity Analysis and Improvements of the Recycling Rate in Municipal Solid Waste Life Cycle Assessment: Focus on a Latin American Developing Context","volume":"128","author":"Ferronato N.","year":"2021","journal-title":"Waste Management"},{"key":"e_1_2_13_40_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"100236","DOI":"10.1016\/j.envadv.2022.100236","article-title":"Microplastics in Latin America and the Caribbean: On the Adoption of Reporting Standards and Quality Assurance and Quality Control Protocols","volume":"8","author":"Grillo J. F.","year":"2022","journal-title":"Environmental Advances"},{"key":"e_1_2_13_41_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"115140","DOI":"10.1016\/j.marpolbul.2023.115140","article-title":"Identifying Opportunities for Harmonized Microplastics and Mesoplastics Monitoring for Caribbean Small Island Developing States Using a Spatiotemporal Assessment of Beaches in South Eleuthera, The Bahamas","volume":"193","author":"Ambrose K. K.","year":"2023","journal-title":"Marine Pollution Bulletin"},{"key":"e_1_2_13_42_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3390\/antiox13050579"},{"key":"e_1_2_13_43_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/jiec.13349"},{"key":"e_1_2_13_44_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ocecoaman.2021.105613"},{"issue":"1","key":"e_1_2_13_45_1","article-title":"Environmental Benefits of Recycling: A Case Study on Post\u2010Consumer Plastic Waste to Produce Poles in Mendoza, Argentina","volume":"25","author":"Arce\u2010Bastias F.","year":"2022","journal-title":"Revista UDCA Actualidad & Divulgaci\u00f3n Cient\u00edfica"}],"container-title":["Environmental Toxicology"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.1002\/tox.70085","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/full-xml\/10.1002\/tox.70085","content-type":"application\/xml","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.1002\/tox.70085","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,7]],"date-time":"2026-04-07T06:06:17Z","timestamp":1775541977000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/10.1002\/tox.70085"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,6]]},"references-count":44,"alternative-id":["10.1002\/tox.70085"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/tox.70085","archive":["Portico"],"relation":{},"ISSN":["1520-4081","1522-7278"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1520-4081","type":"print"},{"value":"1522-7278","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,6]]},"assertion":[{"value":"2025-06-29","order":0,"name":"received","label":"Received","group":{"name":"publication_history","label":"Publication History"}},{"value":"2026-03-18","order":2,"name":"accepted","label":"Accepted","group":{"name":"publication_history","label":"Publication History"}},{"value":"2026-04-06","order":3,"name":"published","label":"Published","group":{"name":"publication_history","label":"Publication History"}}],"article-number":"tox.70085"}}