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Review of the toxic effects and mechanisms of polystyrene micro/nanoplastics across multiple animal species
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This review comprehensively examines the toxic effects of polystyrene micro- and nanoplastics across marine animals, freshwater species, soil organisms, and mammals. Researchers found that these particles can cause damage at multiple biological levels, affecting the digestive, respiratory, nervous, reproductive, and circulatory systems. The study highlights the widespread environmental presence of polystyrene plastics and the need to better understand how they harm living organisms.
• Focuses on conducting a comprehensive analysis of the toxicity associated with polystyrene micro/nanoplastics (PS MNPs);. • Reviews toxicity of PS MNPs in marine animals, freshwater animals, soil animals, and mammals;. • Summarizes toxicity mechanisms of PS MNPs on the digestive, respiratory, nervous, reproductive, and circulatory systems in mammals. Polystyrene (PS) plastics, known for their high light transmittance, transparency, electrical insulation, and low thermal conductivity, are extensively utilized in the production of foam packaging, building insulation materials, disposable tableware, and electrical products. Improper disposal of plastics and their degradation in the environment have led to the widespread presence of polystyrene micro/nanoplastics (PS MNPs) in the atmosphere, seawater, freshwater, soil, and food sources. This study systematically reviews the toxic effects of PS MNPs across various dimensions, with a particular focus on their impact on marine animals, freshwater animals, soil animals, terrestrial invertebrates, and mammals. The objective of this study is to elucidate the potential mechanisms of toxicity associated with PS MNPs and to investigate their effects on animals at the individual, organ, tissue, cellular, and molecular levels.
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Polystyrene microplastic particles in the food chain: Characteristics and toxicity - A review
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This review covers how polystyrene microplastics move through the food chain, from water and soil into animals and ultimately humans. Accumulation in organs leads to a range of harmful effects including weight loss, lung disease, brain toxicity, and oxidative stress. The paper highlights that these tiny plastic particles are particularly dangerous because they can cross biological barriers and carry other toxic chemicals with them.
Micro- and nanoplastic toxicity: A review on size, type, source, and test-organism implications
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This comprehensive review analyzed 615 studies on the toxicity of micro- and nanoplastics across different polymer types, sizes, and organisms. A major finding is that over 90% of nanoplastic research uses only polystyrene, leaving huge gaps in our understanding of other common plastics at the nanoscale. The review highlights that smaller particles are generally more toxic and that more research is urgently needed on the nanoplastics people are most likely to encounter in everyday life.
Microplastic Pollution Across Living Systems: Toxicological Effects, Knowledge Gaps, and Sustainable Remediation Strategies
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This review summarizes existing research on how microplastics affect aquatic animals, humans, plants and other organisms. It found that polystyrene is the most studied type, smaller nanoplastics remain poorly studied despite possibly being more harmful, and most studies are short-term, lasting no more than 84 days. The review also discusses methods for removing microplastics from the environment.
Unveiling the noxious effect of polystyrene microplastics in aquatic ecosystems and their toxicological behavior on fishes and microalgae
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This review provides an extensive look at how polystyrene microplastics affect aquatic ecosystems, with a particular focus on their toxic effects on fish and microalgae. Researchers found alarming levels of polystyrene in surface waters and sediments across urban, coastal, and rural areas. Evidence indicates that polystyrene particles can impair growth, reproduction, and immune function in aquatic organisms, raising concerns about cascading effects through marine food chains.
Exploring toxicological pathways of microplastics and nanoplastics: Insights from animal and cellular models
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This review examines what animal and cell studies have revealed about how microplastics and nanoplastics cause harm at the molecular level, including promoting inflammation, oxidative stress, and cell death. Most research has focused on reproductive toxicity and polystyrene particles, while effects on the gut, brain, and heart remain understudied. The authors note that many experiments use unrealistic concentrations and synthetic particles, making it difficult to apply the results to real-world human exposure.
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