We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Leveraging nanoparticle environmental health and safety research in the study of micro- and nano-plastics
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers argue that two decades of research on the environmental health and safety of engineered nanomaterials provides a strong foundation for studying micro- and nanoplastics. They outline how lessons from nano-safety research apply to understanding plastic particle toxicity, bioaccumulation, trophic transfer, and environmental behavior. The study emphasizes that existing tools and methodologies from nanotoxicology can accelerate progress in assessing the risks of particulate plastic pollution.
Lessons learned, methodologies, and application of tools that have been developed within the context of research on the environmental impacts, health, and safety of nanomaterials (nano-EHS) provide a solid foundation for research on nano/microplastics. In this communication, we summarize key discoveries obtained through major research efforts over the last two decades in the area of nano-EHS that are applicable for the study of micro- and nano-plastics (referred to here more generally as particulate plastics). We focus on how non-equilibrium particle transport processes affect: 1) bio-physico-chemical mechanisms of particle toxicity and determining dose-response relationships; 2) the potential for biouptake, bioaccumulation, translocation, trophic transfer and intergenerational effects of particulate contaminants; 3) extrapolations from laboratory experiments to complex systems and the impact of environmental transformations; 4) the formulation of functional assays as a basis for predicting the impacts of particulate contaminants in complex environments; 5) the relative importance of incidental particles compared with engineered particles and, 6) experience with data platforms, curation, and experimental design.
More Papers Like This
Microplastic Exposure Assessment in Aquatic Environments: Learning from Similarities and Differences to Engineered Nanoparticles
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers reviewed the parallels between microplastic exposure assessment and engineered nanoparticle research in aquatic environments. The study suggests that established methods from nanoparticle science could help address key gaps in microplastic risk assessment, including emission quantification, fate processes, and analytical monitoring techniques.
Screening and prioritization of nano- and microplastic particle toxicity studies for evaluating human health risks – development and application of a toxicity study assessment tool
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers developed a standardized tool to screen and rank toxicity studies on nano- and microplastics by quality and relevance, addressing a critical gap in how scientists evaluate which studies should inform human health risk assessments for these widespread plastic pollutants.
Aquatic Ecotoxicity of Microplastics and Nanoplastics: Lessons Learned from Engineered Nanomaterials
AI summary Read the abstract
This review drew lessons from engineered nanoparticle research to improve understanding of aquatic ecotoxicology for microplastics and nanoplastics, identifying shared challenges in dose-response assessment and environmental relevance.
A critical viewpoint on current issues, limitations, and future research needs on micro- and nanoplastic studies: From the detection to the toxicological assessment.
AI summary Read the abstract
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.
Solving Familiar Problems: Leveraging Environmental Testing Methods for Nanomaterials to Evaluate Microplastics and Nanoplastics
AI summary Read the abstract
This paper argues that existing environmental testing frameworks developed for nanomaterials can be adapted to evaluate the risks of microplastics and nanoplastics, rather than building entirely new regulatory approaches from scratch. The authors outline how standard ecotoxicological methods could be leveraged to more efficiently characterize plastic particle hazards.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.