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Biobased, biodegradable but not bio-neutral: about the effects of polylactic acid nanoparticles on macrophages
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When immune cells called macrophages encounter polylactic acid (PLA) nanoparticles — a supposedly biobased and biodegradable plastic — they can degrade the particles but trigger a range of cellular stress responses in the process. This challenges the idea that bioplastics are biologically inert, suggesting that 'biodegradable' does not mean 'harmless' once particles enter the body.
Macrophages treated with polylactide beads degrade them but show various responses in the meantime.
More Papers Like This
Biobased, Biodegradable but not bio-neutral: about the effects of polylactic acid nanoparticles on macrophages
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers investigated the effects of polylactic acid nanoparticles, a biobased and biodegradable plastic, on immune cells called macrophages. Despite being marketed as eco-friendly, these nanoparticles triggered inflammatory responses and altered macrophage function in ways similar to conventional plastic nanoparticles. The study cautions that biodegradable plastics are not necessarily biologically neutral and may still pose health risks when broken down to nanoscale particles.
Oligomer nanoparticle release from polylactic acid plastics catalysed by gut enzymes triggers acute inflammation
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Researchers found that polylactic acid (PLA), a popular 'eco-friendly' biodegradable plastic, releases nanoplastic particles when broken down by gut enzymes during digestion. In mice, these PLA fragments accumulated in the liver, intestine, and brain, causing intestinal damage and acute inflammation by interfering with a key immune enzyme, raising important questions about whether biodegradable plastics are truly safer for human health.
Environmental release behavior, cell toxicity and intracellular distribution of novel biodegradable plastic materials
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Researchers tested five types of commercially available biodegradable plastics and found that several still released microplastics and showed significant toxicity to human cells, including liver and intestinal cells. Polylactic acid (PLA), often marketed as an eco-friendly alternative, showed higher environmental mobility and concerning toxic effects. The study also showed that human immune cells actively engulfed and absorbed biodegradable microplastic particles, suggesting that 'biodegradable' does not necessarily mean safe for human health.
Are bioplastics safe? Hazardous effects of polylactic acid (PLA) nanoplastics in Drosophila
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Researchers tested whether nanoplastics made from PLA (polylactic acid), a popular "biodegradable" bioplastic, are actually safe by feeding them to fruit flies. They found that PLA nanoplastics crossed the gut barrier, entered the bloodstream, and caused oxidative stress, DNA damage, and intestinal inflammation. This challenges the assumption that bioplastics are harmless and suggests that as they break down into tiny particles, they may pose health risks similar to conventional plastics.
Degradation reshapes the toxic identity of polylactic acid microplastics through MSR1-dependent immune decoding in mouse kidney
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"Biodegradable" plastics are often marketed as the safer, eco-friendly choice, but this mouse study found that when they break down into smaller fragments, they can actually become more harmful, not less. Small degraded pieces of a common bioplastic (PLA, used in things like compostable cups and utensils) built up in the kidneys and triggered a more intense immune reaction than the original, larger plastic particles, driven by immune cells that misread the broken-down fragments as a bigger threat. This suggests that just because a plastic is labeled "biodegradable" doesn't mean its breakdown products are automatically safer, and more
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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.