Papers

Pulmonary hazards of nanoplastic particles: a study using polystyrene in in vitro models of the alveolar and bronchial epithelium

Lab tests on human lung cell models found that polystyrene nanoplastics did not cause immediate cell death but did interfere with key lung functions like surfactant and mucus production and immune signaling. This means standard toxicity tests may underestimate the real danger of inhaling nanoplastics, and researchers need to look beyond simple cell survival to understand the true health effects on the lungs.

Exposure of the human placental primary cells to nanoplastics induces cytotoxic effects, an inflammatory response and endocrine disruption

Scientists exposed human placental cells to polystyrene nanoparticles at concentrations found in human blood and observed cell death, inflammation, and disrupted hormone production, with smaller 20-nanometer particles causing more damage than larger ones. This is significant because the placenta is the critical barrier protecting developing babies, and these findings suggest nanoplastics may interfere with pregnancy hormones and placental function at real-world exposure levels.

Costs of molecular adaptation to the chemical exposome: a focus on xenobiotic metabolism pathways

This review examines how the human body processes foreign chemicals through specialized metabolic pathways, and how the sheer number of chemicals we are exposed to can overwhelm these defense systems. The pathways designed to detoxify harmful substances can generate toxic byproducts when they are overloaded or when multiple chemicals compete for the same enzymes. This is relevant to microplastics because they carry absorbed chemicals into the body, adding to the overall chemical burden that these metabolic pathways must handle.

In-flow single particle detection of sub-100 micron microplastics

Researchers developed an in-flow single particle detection method for identifying microplastics smaller than 100 microns. The study addresses the particular concern around sub-100 micron microplastics, which are more likely to be ingested by organisms and are harder to detect using conventional methods.

Repeated exposure to polyethylene microplastic mixtures containing PFAS and bisphenols activates THP-1 macrophages with inflammatory features

Researchers exposed THP-1 macrophages repeatedly to polyethylene microplastics combined with PFAS and bisphenol additives to more accurately simulate real-world human contamination. The study found that repeated exposure activated macrophages with inflammatory features, suggesting that the combination of microplastics and their chemical additives may trigger immune responses in human cells.

Year 116 of the plastic age: a Pandora’s box as a time bomb for pregnancy? Review of clinical and fundamental data on prenatal exposure to plastics

This review examined evidence for micro- and nanoplastic presence in the human placenta and assessed implications for pregnancy outcomes, synthesizing in vitro, ex vivo, and epidemiological data. Multiple plastic types were detected in placental tissue from the basal plate to fetal membranes, and the authors raised concerns about placental dysfunction and fetal developmental risk.

Asymmetric flow field-flow fractionation coupled with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry for quality control of the grafting state of polystyrene on gold nanoparticles

Researchers synthesized gold nanoparticles coated with polystyrene as electron-microscopy-visible proxies for nanoplastics in cells, then used asymmetric flow field-flow fractionation coupled with mass spectrometry to precisely characterize the grafting percentage and size distribution of the hybrid particles, enabling clearer visualization of nanoplastic uptake in biological tissue.

Fracture behavior of Ni-W alloy probed by in situ synchrotron X-ray diffraction

Microplastic freshwater contamination: an issue advanced by science with public engagement