Papers

Neurotoxicities induced by micro/nanoplastics: A review focusing on the risks of neurological diseases

This review summarizes evidence that micro- and nanoplastics can reach the brain through the bloodstream and nerve pathways, where they trigger oxidative stress, inflammation, and cell damage that may contribute to neurodegenerative diseases. The particles are found in air, water, soil, and food, meaning humans are constantly exposed through breathing, eating, and skin contact, making brain effects a serious long-term concern.

Special Distribution of Nanoplastics in the Central Nervous System of Zebrafish during Early Development

Researchers injected fluorescent nanoplastics into zebrafish embryos and found the particles became trapped in the brain, eyes, and spinal cord during early development and stayed there rather than moving to other organs. Although the nanoplastics did not embed directly in nerve cells, they still disrupted brain signaling and reduced larval movement, suggesting early-life nanoplastic exposure could interfere with nervous system development.

Micro(nano)plastics (< 4 μm): An important but ignored concern during intravenous infusion

Researchers found that common IV bags, tubes, and syringes release thousands of tiny plastic particles directly into the bloodstream during routine medical treatments. The particles, smaller than 4 micrometers, included types like PVC and polypropylene and were found in nearly all tested infusion products. This is a significant finding because it identifies a previously overlooked source of microplastic exposure that bypasses the body's natural barriers entirely.

Disturbed Gut-Liver axis indicating oral exposure to polystyrene microplastic potentially increases the risk of insulin resistance

Researchers found that oral exposure to polystyrene microplastics in mice disrupted the gut-liver axis, causing intestinal inflammation and liver metabolic dysfunction that together increased the risk of insulin resistance. The study showed that microplastics damaged the intestinal barrier, allowing harmful substances to reach the liver and trigger metabolic disturbances. These findings suggest a potential pathway by which microplastic ingestion could contribute to metabolic health problems.

Plant Trait Regulation Enabled by Nanoplastic Nucleic Acid Carriers

Researchers discovered that positively charged polystyrene nanoplastics can bind to small RNA molecules and carry them into plant cells, effectively acting as gene delivery vehicles. They demonstrated that these nanoplastic-RNA complexes could silence specific genes in plants, altering visible traits like leaf color. The study reveals an unexpected biological mechanism by which nanoplastics could influence plant gene expression in the environment.

Amphiphilic CoP/CN heterojunction for photocatalytic microplastics degradation synergistic hydrogen generation

Polystyrene and polyethylene perturb the structure of membrane: An experimental and computational study

Researchers combined cell experiments, molecular dynamics simulations, and toxicogenomic analysis to show that polystyrene and polyethylene nanoplastics — individually and as a mixture — physically penetrate cell membranes and form pores, with the mixture producing stronger disruption than either polymer alone.

Rubber Antioxidants and Their Transformation Products: Environmental Occurrence and Potential Impact

This review summarizes the environmental occurrence and potential impacts of antioxidants used in rubber production and their transformation products. Researchers found that these transformation products can adversely affect environmental organisms, with recent studies linking them to ecological events of concern. The study calls for further research into the toxic and biological effects of these compounds, as current understanding remains limited despite their widespread environmental presence.

Binding of Perfluoroalkyl Substances to Nanoplastic Protein Corona Is pH‐Dependent and Attenuates Their Bioavailability and Toxicity

Researchers studied how common industrial pollutants called PFAS chemicals interact with nanoplastics and blood proteins in the human body. The study found that when nanoplastics are present, they actually reduce the cellular uptake of PFAS chemicals and lessen their toxicity, because the protein layer that forms on nanoplastic surfaces traps the pollutants and limits their availability to cells.

Chronic exposure to polystyrene microplastics increased the chemosensitivity of normal human liver cells via ABC transporter inhibition

Researchers found that chronic exposure to polystyrene microplastics made normal human liver cells more sensitive to certain chemotherapy drugs by inhibiting the cellular pumps that normally flush out toxic substances. This means the liver cells lost some of their natural defense mechanisms against chemical damage. The study suggests that long-term microplastic accumulation in the liver could alter how the organ processes medications and other foreign compounds.

Diatomic Zn‐Functionalized Carbon Sphere for Microplastics Remediation in Natural Seawater at Environmentally Relevant Concentration

Researchers developed a zinc-functionalized carbon material that can capture and degrade polyester microplastics in natural seawater at environmentally realistic concentrations. The material works through a combination of surface interactions that trap the plastics and zinc-mediated chemical reactions that break them into biodegradable substances, achieving a 70% conversion rate in 15 weeks. The study demonstrates a promising approach for addressing microplastic pollution in real-world marine settings.

[Toxicology of Nanoplastics to Aquatic and Terrestrial Organism: A Critical Review].

This review examines the toxicological effects of nanoplastics on aquatic and terrestrial organisms, noting that the vast surface area of nanoplastics enables them to carry environmental pollutants into organisms. Researchers describe how nanoplastics accumulate in organs and can transfer to offspring, potentially harming subsequent generations. The study highlights the need for further research on the health threats posed by nanoplastics at environmentally relevant concentrations.

Precise characterization of the presence and fate of plastic oligomers in water

Quantitative Tracking of Nanoplastic Uptake and Distribution in Zebrafish by Single-Particle Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry

Researchers developed a new method to track nanoplastics at the single-particle level in zebrafish using europium-doped polystyrene particles and mass spectrometry. They found that while most nanoplastics accumulated in the intestine, particles continuously penetrated into internal organs including the brain, demonstrating the ability to cross the blood-brain barrier. The study suggests that nanoplastics pose a systemic exposure risk, though the chorion of fish eggs appears to block their entry.

Polystyrene microplastics facilitating reproductive toxicity and transgenerational transfer of ZnO nanoparticles in daphnia under chronic dietary exposure

Researchers found that polystyrene microplastics facilitated the transfer of zinc oxide nanoparticles across multiple generations of water fleas by impairing their ability to excrete zinc through molting. The microplastics extended the reproductive toxicity of zinc oxide nanoparticles by an additional generation compared to zinc oxide alone. The study suggests that microplastics can act as carriers for other pollutants, amplifying their ecological harm across generations.

Gaps between Laboratory Experiments and Real-World Exposure: Toxicological Assessment of Microplastics Is Based on Inadequate Evidence

**TLDR:** This review of existing research found that current studies on microplastic toxicity don't match real-world conditions—most lab experiments test single types of plastic particles at high doses for short periods, while people are actually exposed to many different microplastics mixed with other pollutants over long periods of time. The authors argue we need better testing methods that mirror how people actually encounter microplastics in daily life to truly understand the health risks. This research gap makes it hard to know if microplastics are truly dangerous to human health at the levels we're actually exposed to.

Metagenomic insights into the abundance and composition of resistance genes in aquatic environments: Influence of stratification and geography

A global survey of 122 lake and seawater metagenomic datasets found that antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and metal resistance genes (MRGs) were significantly more abundant in lake water than seawater, with multidrug resistance and bacitracin resistance as the most prevalent ARGs. The study provides a large-scale baseline for resistance gene abundance in aquatic environments and its variation with geography and stratification.

A high-precision, effective method for extraction and identification of small-sized microplastics from soil

Researchers developed a novel device called the Plastic Flotation and Separator system to improve extraction of very small microplastics (under 60 micrometers) from soil samples. The system achieved a 90% recovery rate for particles as small as 45 micrometers, significantly outperforming traditional methods. The study suggests that previous research may have underestimated microplastic contamination in soils due to limitations in detecting these smaller particles.

An exploration into the transplacental transfer of microplastics through placental transporters

Mass concentration, spatial distribution, and risk assessment of small microplastics (1–100 μm) and nanoplastics (<1 μm) in the surface water of Taihu Lake, China

Researchers mapped micro- and nanoplastic concentrations across 48 sites in Taihu Lake, China using pyrolysis-GC-MS, finding six polymer types with polyethylene terephthalate and polypropylene dominant, and identifying hotspot zones where nanoplastics (<1 µm) posed the greatest ecological risk.

Solar thermoplasmonic convection for sustainable removal of microplastics

A computational framework for multi-scale data fusion in assessing the associations between micro- and nanoplastics and human hepatotoxicity

Researchers developed a computational toxicology framework integrating multi-source data and network analysis to map associations between micro- and nanoplastics and hepatotoxicity, identifying key molecular pathways through which MNPs may damage the liver, offering a scalable alternative to traditional in vivo testing.

Binding of Perfluoroalkyl Substances to Nanoplastic Protein Corona Is pH‐Dependent and Attenuates Their Bioavailability and Toxicity

Researchers investigated how pH affects the binding of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) to the protein corona that forms on nanoplastic surfaces in biological fluids. pH-dependent changes in protein corona composition significantly altered PFAS binding capacity, with implications for how nanoplastics transport PFAS in the body.

Probing the stability of metal–organic frameworks by structure-responsive mass spectrometry imaging

A novel structure-responsive mass spectrometry imaging technique was developed to probe the stability of metal-organic frameworks during application, using CuBTC as a model system. The technique detected characteristic spectral changes when MOF structure was compromised, enabling non-destructive real-time monitoring of framework integrity.