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Identification of micro- and nanoplastic particles in postnatal sprague-dawley rat offspring after maternal inhalation exposure throughout gestation
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Pregnant rats that inhaled micro- and nanoplastic particles throughout gestation passed them to their offspring, with plastic particles detected in pup tissues after birth. This is one of the first studies to show that inhaled microplastics can cross the placental barrier during pregnancy and persist in offspring, raising concerns about prenatal exposure from airborne plastic pollution.
Micro-nanoplastic particulates (MNPs) have been identified in both indoor and outdoor environments. From these real-world exposures, MNPs have been identified in human fluids and organ tissues, including the placenta and breastmilk. Laboratory studies have identified MNPs are capable of crossing the placental barrier and depositing in fetal tissues; however, it remained unclear if MNPs persist in offspring tissues after birth. Six pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats were divided equally into two groups: control and exposed to polyamide-12 (PA-12) MNP aerosols (11.46 ± 3.78 mg/m3) over an average of 4.35 h ± 0.39 for 10 non-consecutive days between gestational day (GD) 6 - GD 19, in our custom rodent exposure chamber, allowing for whole-body inhalation. Two-weeks after delivery in-house, offspring tissues (i.e. lung, liver, kidney, heart, brain) from 1 male and 1 female pup per litter were fixed in 4 % paraformaldehyde, sectioned, stained with hematoxylin and eosin, and assessed using hyperspectral dark-field microscopy. PA-12 MNPs were identified in all offspring tissues of the exposed dams. No MNPs were visualized in control tissues. These findings have important implications for human MNPs translocation, deposition, maternal/fetal health, and the developmental origins of health and disease. Further research is warranted to quantify MNPs mass deposition, biological accumulation, and systemic toxicity.
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Researchers exposed pregnant mice to nanoscale polystyrene particles through inhalation and tracked where the particles traveled. They found that the nanoplastics crossed from the lungs into the bloodstream and accumulated in both placental and fetal tissues, confirming that inhaled plastic nanoparticles can reach developing offspring during pregnancy.
Micro- and nanoplastic inhalation during pregnancy: Impacts on uteroplacental function and offspring health
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This review examined evidence that inhaled micro- and nanoplastics during pregnancy accumulate in placental and fetal tissues, impair uteroplacental blood flow and immune function, and are associated with adverse developmental outcomes in offspring, identifying inhalation as a critical but understudied exposure route.
Nanopolystyrene Translocation and Fetal Deposition After Acute Lung Exposure During Late-Stage Pregnancy
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Nanopolystyrene particles inhaled by pregnant mice during late pregnancy crossed into the bloodstream and deposited in fetal tissues. This finding raises concern that airborne nanoplastics could pose a risk to fetal development, especially given growing human exposure to plastic particles in indoor and outdoor air.
Nanopolystyrene translocation and fetal deposition after acute lung exposure during late-stage pregnancy
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This animal study found that nanopolystyrene particles inhaled by pregnant mice during late pregnancy were transferred across the placenta and deposited in fetal tissues. The findings provide experimental evidence that airborne nanoplastics can reach unborn fetuses, raising serious concerns about developmental exposure from breathing indoor or outdoor air containing plastic particles.
Evaluation of Liver Toxicity of Neonates Following Intragastric Administration or Intratracheal Instillation of Polyethylene Microplatics to Pregnant Mice
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Researchers found that pregnant mice exposed to polyethylene microplastics via oral ingestion or inhalation passed particles to offspring, causing oxidative stress and inflammation in neonatal livers, with inhalation exposure producing more severe effects than oral exposure.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.