Papers

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.

Nanoplastics are neither microplastics nor engineered nanoparticles

This paper explains why nanoplastics should be treated as a distinct category, separate from both microplastics and engineered nanoparticles. At the nanoscale, plastics behave differently: they interact more with biological membranes, release additives faster, and can fragment further in the environment. Recognizing these differences is important for accurately assessing health risks, since nanoplastics may be more bioavailable and potentially more harmful than larger microplastics.

Fragmentation of polypropylene into microplastics promoted by photo-aging; release of metals, toxicity and inhibition of biodegradability

This study showed that when polypropylene plastic ages in sunlight, it fragments into microplastics much faster and releases metal contaminants that were originally added during manufacturing. The resulting particles and chemical leachates were toxic to aquatic organisms and resistant to biodegradation, meaning aged plastics in the environment are more hazardous than fresh ones.

Unlocking secrets of microbial ecotoxicology: recent achievements and future challenges

This review explores how microorganisms interact with environmental pollutants, including microplastics, covering how bacteria can break down pollutants but are also harmed by them. The authors highlight that microplastics create new surfaces in the environment where bacteria form communities, potentially spreading harmful species or antibiotic resistance. Understanding these microbial interactions is critical for developing nature-based solutions to reduce pollution and protect human health.

Analysis of micro- and nanoplastics in wastewater treatment plants: key steps and environmental risk considerations

This review examines how micro- and nanoplastics behave within wastewater treatment plants, which are a major pathway for these particles entering the environment. Researchers highlight that treatment plants can remove many microplastics but often transfer them to sewage sludge, which is then spread on agricultural land. The study calls for better standardized methods to measure nanoplastics in wastewater and assess the environmental risks of treatment byproducts.

An Atomic‐Level Perspective on the interactions between Organic Pollutants and PET particles: A Comprehensive Computational Investigation

Using advanced computational methods, researchers studied how organic pollutants interact with PET microplastic particles at the atomic level. The study found that pollutants bind to PET surfaces mainly through weak intermolecular forces, and that the specific chemical structure of both the pollutant and the plastic surface determines how strongly they attach.

Trace metal sorption on nanoplastics: An innovative analytical approach combining surface analysis and mass spectrometry techniques

Researchers developed a new analytical approach combining surface analysis and mass spectrometry to study how nanoplastics interact with trace metals like copper. The study demonstrated that nanoplastics not only adsorb metals on their surfaces but also absorb them into their core over time, confirming that nanoplastics can act as carriers of metal pollutants in the environment.

A wave-resolving two-dimensional vertical Lagrangian approach to model microplastic transport in nearshore waters based on TrackMPD 3.0

Researchers developed a wave-resolving model to simulate how microplastics move through nearshore waters, accounting for processes like resuspension from the seabed and turbulence-driven transport. The model successfully reproduced laboratory experiments showing different behavior for floating versus sinking microplastics. This tool could help predict where microplastics accumulate along coastlines and improve understanding of how shoreline environments act as sources or sinks of plastic pollution.

Study of metal and organic contaminants transported by microplastics in the Lebanese coastal environment using ICP MS, GC-MS, and LC-MS

Researchers conducted an untargeted analysis of metal and organic contaminants transported by microplastics along the Lebanese coast, identifying diverse pollutant classes adsorbed onto plastics using ICP-MS, GC-MS, and LC-MS techniques.

Nanoplastic occurrence in a soil amended with plastic debris

Researchers developed a new analytical strategy and for the first time demonstrated the presence of nanoplastics (20–150 nm) in soil amended with plastic debris, providing direct field evidence of nanoplastic occurrence in terrestrial environments.

Chemicals sorbed to environmental microplastics are toxic to early life stages of aquatic organisms

Environmental microplastics collected from two Guadeloupe island beaches showed similar polymer compositions but very different contamination profiles and toxicity — beach-specific leachates caused early-life toxicity in aquatic organisms, with one sample's toxicity driven by lead and organochlorines and the other by copper and hydrocarbons.

Nanoplastics Identification in Complex Environmental Matrices: Strategies for Polystyrene and Polypropylene

Researchers developed and compared analytical strategies for detecting and identifying polystyrene and polypropylene nanoplastics in complex environmental matrices, evaluating techniques including pyrolysis-GC/MS, Raman spectroscopy, and electron microscopy, and proposing a multi-method workflow for environmental samples.

Meso- and microplastics accumulate and transfer hazardous contaminants from wastewater treatment plants to the environment

Researchers investigated how meso- and microplastics in wastewater treatment plants accumulate organic and inorganic pollutants, including metals, pharmaceuticals, and pesticides. They found that plastic particles act as carriers for these contaminants, redistributing them through both treated water discharge and sludge applied to land. The study suggests that wastewater treatment plants, while partially removing plastics, also serve as pathways for contaminated microplastics to reach the environment.

Can anaerobic digestion be a suitable end-of-life scenario for biodegradable plastics? A critical review of the current situation, hurdles, and challenges

Researchers reviewed the feasibility of anaerobic digestion (AD) as an end-of-life treatment for biodegradable plastics, identifying process parameters, microbial communities, and pretreatment strategies that influence degradation rates and arguing that AD deserves more research attention alongside industrial composting.

Effects of Biofilms and Particle Physical Properties on the Rising and Settling Velocities of Microplastic Fibers and Sheets

Researchers investigated how biofilms and physical properties affect the rising and settling velocities of microplastic fibers and sheets, finding that biofouling significantly altered vertical transport dynamics depending on particle shape and size.

Natural Nanoparticles, Anthropogenic Nanoparticles, Where Is the Frontier?

This review distinguishes between natural nanoparticles that have always existed in Earth's biogeochemical cycles and anthropogenic nanoparticles introduced by human activity, arguing that human activities have fundamentally altered the global nanoparticle budget in ways that require new monitoring frameworks.

Mechanistic description of lead sorption onto nanoplastics

Researchers investigated the mechanisms by which nanoplastics in the environment adsorb lead and other metal contaminants. The study found that despite growing recognition of nanoplastic presence in ecosystems, the processes by which these tiny particles carry and transport metals remain poorly understood. The findings contribute to a better understanding of how nanoplastics may serve as vectors for spreading heavy metal contamination through the environment.

Fate and impact of nanoplastics in the human digestive environment after oral exposure: A common challenge for toxicology and chemistry

Current opinion: What is a nanoplastic?

This opinion piece proposes a definition for nanoplastics — particles unintentionally produced from plastic degradation or manufacturing that exhibit colloidal behavior within the 1 to 1000 nm size range — aiming to resolve ongoing debate over terminology in the field.

The Trojan horse effect of nanoplastics exacerbates methylmercury-induced neurotoxicity during zebrafish development

This zebrafish study showed that 250 nm polystyrene nanoplastics can act as a Trojan horse by enhancing methylmercury accumulation and directing it toward the head and eyes of larvae over 30 days. Combined exposure worsened behavioral impairment and developmental defects beyond what either contaminant caused alone.

A Lagrangian model for microplastics transport in SERGHEI

Researchers implemented a Lagrangian particle tracking model for microplastic transport in the SERGHEI river flow simulation framework to predict plastic movement and fate in river systems. The model successfully reproduced field observations of microplastic distribution in test rivers and is applicable for assessing plastic pollution transport and identifying accumulation zones.

A Western-style diet shapes the gut and liver responses to low-dose, fit-for-purpose polystyrene nanoplastics in mice

A subchronic mouse study found that low-dose polystyrene nanoplastics designed to mimic real-world particle characteristics impaired gut and liver health in a non-monotonic, diet-dependent manner, with Western-style diet amplifying the effects.

How scientific networks can help advancing both scientific knowledge and public policies: the case study of the “Plastics, Environment and Health” network

This paper describes the French interdisciplinary research network on plastics, environment, and health, which was established in 2019 to coordinate research across ecotoxicology, chemistry, physics, and social science. The network has facilitated collaborations, standardized methods, and produced policy-relevant findings on plastic pollution across soil, air, water, and human health impacts.

Modelling microplastic dynamics in estuaries: a comprehensive review, challenges, and recommendations

This review examined process-based numerical models used to simulate microplastic transport and fate in estuaries, identifying key challenges including particle diversity, tidal dynamics, and limited field validation data. The authors highlight how models complement observational studies and outline priorities for improving predictive accuracy in these dynamic coastal environments.