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Fluorescent Nanodiamonds for Tracking Single Polymer Particles in Cells and Tissues
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Scientists embedded fluorescent nanodiamond particles inside polymer nanoparticles to create a tracking label that does not bleach or blink, enabling long-term imaging of where plastic particles end up inside cells and liver tissue. This tool addresses a key challenge in microplastics research — reliably following individual particles through biological systems — and could improve understanding of how nanoplastics and drug-delivery nanoparticles are distributed and retained in the body.
Polymer nanoparticles are widely used in drug delivery and are also a potential concern due to the increased burden of nano- or microplastics in the environment. In order to use polymer nanoparticles safely and understand their mechanism of action, it is useful to know where within cells and tissues they end up. To this end, we labeled polymer nanoparticles with nanodiamond particles. More specifically, we have embedded nanodiamond particles in the polymer particles and characterized the composites. Compared to conventional fluorescent dyes, these labels have the advantage that nanodiamonds do not bleach or blink, thus allowing long-term imaging and tracking of polymer particles. We have demonstrated this principle both in cells and entire liver tissues.
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Fluorescent Labeling Strategies for Tracking Micro- and Nanoplastics in Biological Systems
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This review summarizes the main methods for labeling micro- and nanoplastics with fluorescent dyes so the particles can be followed through cells, tissues and organs in lab studies. It compares them with spectroscopy methods, which give chemical information but struggle at the nanoscale.
Fluorescent Labeling Strategies for Tracking Micro- and Nanoplastics in Biological Systems
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This review rounds up the best methods scientists use to "light up" tiny plastic particles with fluorescent dyes so they can track where they go in cells and bodies. Better tracking tools mean researchers can more accurately study how microplastics move through and build up in our tissues, an important step toward understanding their real health risks.
Bifunctional nanoprobes for improved biological tracking of nanoplastics
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Scientists have created a new tool that both lights up and precisely measures tiny plastic particles inside living things, tested on cells and even zebrafish offspring. This matters because it helps researchers track exactly how much nanoplastic gets into bodies and where it travels, a key step toward understanding how these particles might affect our health.
Challenges in assessing ecological and health risks of microplastics and nanoplastics: tracking their dynamics in living organisms
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Researchers proposed a new method for tracking micro- and nanoplastics in living organisms using fluorescent monomers built directly into the plastic particles during synthesis. Current detection methods require destructive sampling and only provide static snapshots, missing the real-time movement of particles through biological systems. This fluorescent monomer approach is designed to enable continuous, stable imaging of plastic particles as they move through complex biological environments.
Synthesis of near-infrared-fluorophore-loaded microplastics with different compositions for in vivo tracking
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Researchers synthesised fluorescent microplastic particles of different polymer types that can be tracked inside living animals using near-infrared imaging, creating a tool for studying how microplastics move through and accumulate within biological tissues. These model particles help researchers understand real-world microplastic behaviour inside organisms, which is critical for assessing health risks.
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