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Reproductive & Development
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Microplastics from face mask impairs sperm motility
Marine Pollution Bulletin2024
6 citations
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Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count.
Score: 55
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0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.
Keng Po Lai,
Ziyi Lin,
Hoi‐Shing Lo,
Hoi‐Shing Lo,
Hoi‐Shing Lo,
Hoi‐Shing Lo,
Hoi‐Shing Lo,
Hoi‐Shing Lo,
Hoi‐Shing Lo,
Keng Po Lai,
Ziyi Lin,
James Kar‐Hei Fang,
Zijie Li,
Zijie Li,
Keng Po Lai,
Hoi‐Shing Lo,
James Kar‐Hei Fang,
Hoi‐Shing Lo,
Hoi‐Shing Lo,
James Kar‐Hei Fang,
Hoi‐Shing Lo,
James Kar‐Hei Fang,
James Kar‐Hei Fang,
Hoi‐Shing Lo,
Shuqin Ji,
James Kar‐Hei Fang,
James Kar‐Hei Fang,
Hoi‐Shing Lo,
James Kar‐Hei Fang,
Lei Li
Lei Li
Keng Po Lai,
Keng Po Lai,
Keng Po Lai,
Zijie Li,
Shuqin Ji,
Shuqin Ji,
Shuqin Ji,
James Kar‐Hei Fang,
Lei Li
Keng Po Lai,
James Kar‐Hei Fang,
Hoi‐Shing Lo,
Hoi‐Shing Lo,
Hoi‐Shing Lo,
Hoi‐Shing Lo,
Hoi‐Shing Lo,
Hoi‐Shing Lo,
Shuqin Ji,
Shuqin Ji,
Shuqin Ji,
James Kar‐Hei Fang,
James Kar‐Hei Fang,
James Kar‐Hei Fang,
James Kar‐Hei Fang,
Ziyi Lin,
Lei Li
Lei Li
James Kar‐Hei Fang,
Keng Po Lai,
James Kar‐Hei Fang,
Baki Billah,
Baki Billah,
Shuqin Ji,
James Kar‐Hei Fang,
James Kar‐Hei Fang,
James Kar‐Hei Fang,
James Kar‐Hei Fang,
James Kar‐Hei Fang,
James Kar‐Hei Fang,
James Kar‐Hei Fang,
James Kar‐Hei Fang,
Lei Li
Lei Li
Ziyi Lin,
Lei Li
James Kar‐Hei Fang,
James Kar‐Hei Fang,
James Kar‐Hei Fang,
Hoi‐Shing Lo,
James Kar‐Hei Fang,
James Kar‐Hei Fang,
Lei Li
William Ka Fai Tse,
Keng Po Lai,
Ayesha Sharmin,
Ayesha Sharmin,
William Ka Fai Tse,
James Kar‐Hei Fang,
James Kar‐Hei Fang,
Lei Li
James Kar‐Hei Fang,
Wing‐Yee Lui,
Hoi‐Shing Lo,
Lei Li
Keng Po Lai,
Wing‐Yee Lui,
William Ka Fai Tse,
James Kar‐Hei Fang,
James Kar‐Hei Fang,
James Kar‐Hei Fang,
Lei Li
James Kar‐Hei Fang,
James Kar‐Hei Fang,
Hoi‐Shing Lo,
Keng Po Lai,
William Ka Fai Tse,
Hoi‐Shing Lo,
Hoi‐Shing Lo,
James Kar‐Hei Fang,
James Kar‐Hei Fang,
James Kar‐Hei Fang,
James Kar‐Hei Fang,
Lei Li
Keng Po Lai,
Keng Po Lai,
Lei Li
Keng Po Lai,
Lei Li
Lei Li
Summary
Researchers fed mice microplastics derived from face masks for 21 days and found that while overall body weight and sperm counts were unaffected, sperm motility was significantly impaired. Gene expression analysis revealed disruptions in pathways related to sperm development, oxidative stress, and inflammation in the testes. The findings suggest that microplastics shed from disposable face masks could pose risks to male reproductive health.
The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in unprecedented plastic pollution from single-used personal protective equipment (PPE), especially face masks, in coastal and marine environments. The secondary pollutants, microplastics from face masks (mask MP), rise concern about their detrimental effects on marine organisms, terrestrial organisms and even human. Using a mouse model, oral exposure to mask MP at two doses, 0.1 and 1 mg MP/day for 21 days, caused no change in animal locomotion, total weight, or sperm counts, but caused damage to sperm motility with increased curvilinear velocity (VCL). The high-dose mask MP exposure caused a significant decrease in linearity (LIN) of sperm motility. Further testicular transcriptomic analysis revealed perturbed pathways related to spermatogenesis, oxidative stress, inflammation, metabolism and energy production. Collectively, our findings substantiate that microplastics from face masks yield adverse effects on mammalian reproductive capacity, highlighting the need for improved plastic waste management and development of environmentally friendly materials.