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Nanoplastics: An Emerging Threat to Human Health—A Perspective Review
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Researchers propose an 'Exposome–Microbiome–Immune' framework for nanoplastic risk assessment, arguing that validated nanoFTIR and SERS detection, multigenerational animal studies, and longitudinal human cohorts are necessary to shift the field from descriptive toxicology toward systems-level understanding of sub-100 nm plastic hazards.
Nanoplastics (NPs, <100 nm) have emerged as nano-scale contaminants with superior mobility and biological barrier-crossing capacity, yet risk assessment fails due to unstandardized analytical methods and a lack of realistic exposure data. This perspective proposes an “Exposome–Microbiome–Immune” (EMI) framework as a One Health paradigm to integrate detection, toxicokinetics, and systemic effects. We prioritize the following actions: (i) validated nano–Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (nanoFTIR) and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) for environmental/human monitoring; (ii) multigenerational studies in zebrafish and organoids; (iii) longitudinal cohorts for biomonitoring. Without shifting from descriptive reviews to systems toxicology, NP risk will remain underestimated.
More Papers Like This
Nanoplastics
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers proposed an 'Exposome–Microbiome–Immune' (EMI) framework as a systems-level approach to nanoplastic risk assessment, arguing that current risk models are undermined by unstandardized analytical methods and calling for validated nanoFTIR and SERS monitoring, multigenerational model studies, and longitudinal human biomonitoring cohorts.
Paradigms to assess the human health risks of nano- and microplastics
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Researchers proposed a new, comprehensive framework for assessing the health risks of nano- and microplastics (tiny plastic particles), addressing key gaps in how we analyze these particles, model their behavior, and use that information to protect human health — since no such standard risk assessment system currently exists.
Micro(nano)plastics, an emerging health problem
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This review frames micro- and nanoplastics as an emerging human health problem, synthesizing evidence of exposure routes, organ-level accumulation, and biological effects, and calling for updated regulatory frameworks to address this novel class of environmental contaminants.
A critical viewpoint on current issues, limitations, and future research needs on micro- and nanoplastic studies: From the detection to the toxicological assessment.
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This critical review examines the current methods for detecting and characterizing micro- and nanoplastics in various environmental samples, as well as reported toxic effects from in vivo and in vitro studies. The authors found that while substantial effort has been made to understand microplastic behavior, the scientific community is still far from a complete understanding of how these particles behave in biological systems. The review calls for improved standardized protocols and more studies focused on uptake kinetics, accumulation, and biodistribution.
Micro-and Nanoplastic-Induced Biochemical Toxicity: Emerging Mechanisms and Health Risks Across Biological Systems
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This comprehensive review synthesizes current understanding of how micro- and nanoplastics cause biochemical toxicity across biological systems, from plants and invertebrates to vertebrates and humans. Key mechanisms include oxidative stress, membrane disruption, immune activation, genotoxicity, endocrine disruption, and microbiome perturbation, all modulated by particle size, shape, and surface chemistry. The authors highlight critical gaps in standardization, chronic low-dose effect data, and the need for translatable biomarkers for risk assessment.
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