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Inside back cover
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This journal cover image is associated with research revealing the transport, uptake, and damage mechanisms of polystyrene microplastics in biological systems. The study examined how polystyrene particles move through organisms and what cellular or tissue damage results from their accumulation.
Revealing transport, uptake and damage of polystyrene microplastics
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Polystyrene microplastics: environmental presence, pathways, and biological impact
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Researchers reviewed the environmental presence, transport pathways, and biological impacts of polystyrene microplastics, documenting how widespread food packaging use leads to pervasive contamination of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems and raises concerns for organismal and human health.
Cellular Uptake and Nuclear Accumulation of Polystyrene Nanoplastics in 3T3 Fibroblasts and Hepatocytes of Rattus norvegicus
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Scientists found that tiny plastic particles called nanoplastics can get inside liver and connective tissue cells from rats, and even sneak into the cell's nucleus, where DNA is stored. Cells exposed to these plastics showed signs of stress and damage, including swelling and higher rates of cell death, suggesting these ultra-small plastic particles may be more harmful than previously thought. While this study used animal cells rather than human cells, it raises important questions about what everyday exposure to nanoplastics (found in food packaging, water, and other sources) might mean for our own cellular health.
The Impact of Polystyrene Microplastics in Living Organisms; Environmental and Ecological Concerns
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This review comprehensively examined the environmental and ecological impacts of polystyrene microplastics, which readily adsorb both organic and inorganic pollutants and carry them into living organisms. Polystyrene is one of the most widely produced plastics globally, and its breakdown into microplastics creates particles that act as vectors for toxic chemicals in ecosystems and potentially in human bodies.
Cellular Uptake, Transport, and Organelle Response After Exposure to Microplastics and Nanoplastics: Current Knowledge and Perspectives for Environmental and Health Risks
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Microplastics and nanoplastics enter cells through endocytosis and passive diffusion, then travel through organelles including endosomes, autophagosomes, and lysosomes, ultimately causing toxicity in mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum, nucleus, and cytoskeleton. Understanding these cellular uptake pathways and organelle-level damage mechanisms is critical for accurately assessing the human health risks of chronic microplastic exposure.
Occurrence, toxicity and removal of polystyrene microplastics and nanoplastics in human sperm
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Researchers detected polystyrene microplastics in human semen and showed they reduce sperm function, then demonstrated that magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles can remove nanoplastics from semen samples — offering an early glimpse into both the reproductive health threat posed by microplastics and potential mitigation strategies.
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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.