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Article ? AI-assigned paper type based on the abstract. Classification may not be perfect — flag errors using the feedback button. Tier 2 ? Original research — experimental, observational, or case-control study. Direct primary evidence. Nanoplastics Sign in to save

Things we know and don’t know about nanoplastic in the environment

Nature Nanotechnology 2019 273 citations ? Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count.
Stephan Wagner, Thorsten Reemtsma

Summary

Researchers outlined the key unanswered questions about nanoplastics — plastic fragments smaller than 1 micrometer — including how they form, how they behave in the environment, and what risks they pose to living organisms. Because nanoplastics are far smaller than most detected microplastics, they may more easily penetrate biological barriers, though the evidence is still developing.

Fragments of plastic smaller than 1 μm have raised concerns about the potential risks they pose to the environment. Research will have to answer a number of questions to establish what the realistic risks are.

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