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Distinguishing the nanoplastic–cell membrane interface by polymer type and aging properties: translocation, transformation and perturbation
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Molecular simulations revealed that nanoplastic behavior at cell membranes differs significantly by polymer type and aging state, with distinct patterns of membrane translocation, transformation, and disruption. Aged nanoplastics showed altered interaction dynamics compared to pristine particles, suggesting weathering changes ecotoxicological risk.
Molecular simulations identify distinctive behaviors of nanoplastics at the cell membrane surface and reveal interfacial processes of translocation, transformation and membrane perturbation governed by the polymer type and aging properties.
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Understanding the transformations of nanoplastic onto phospholipid bilayers: Mechanism, microscopic interaction and cytotoxicity assessment
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Researchers used molecular dynamics simulations to model how five types of nanoplastics (PVC, PS, PLA, PP, PET) interact with cell membrane lipid bilayers, finding that van der Waals forces dominate uptake and that nanoplastic accumulation reduces membrane thickness in a way that correlates with cytotoxicity.
Can Nanoplastics Alter Cell Membranes?
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Researchers used molecular dynamics simulations to show that polyethylene nanoplastics dissolve into the hydrophobic core of lipid bilayers as disentangled polymer chains, inducing structural and dynamic changes that alter vital cell membrane functions and may result in cell death.
Ageing Affects the Mechanical Interactionbetween Microplastics and Lipid Bilayers
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Researchers found that as polyethylene microplastics age and become more hydrophilic, they adhere more strongly to lipid bilayers and cause greater membrane stretching, suggesting that weathered microplastics in the environment may pose higher biological risks than fresh particles.
Effects of Nanoplastics on Lipid Membranes and Vice Versa: Insights from All-Atom Molecular Dynamics Simulations
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Researchers used molecular dynamics simulations to study how polyethylene nanoplastics interact with cell membrane models. They found that the mechanical properties of the lipid membrane, rather than the nanoplastic structure, primarily determine whether particles can penetrate cells. The study suggests that more flexible biological membranes may be more susceptible to nanoplastic penetration, providing insight into how these particles could enter living cells.
Dynamics behavior of PE and PET oligomers in lipid bilayer simulations
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Researchers used computer simulations to study how tiny plastic fragments from PET and polyethylene enter cell membranes, finding that small plastic molecules pass through with little resistance and can concentrate inside membranes — suggesting passive entry into cells is possible for nanoplastics just a few nanometers in size.
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