Papers

Are microplastics bad for your health? More rigorous science is needed

The potential impacts of micro-and-nano plastics on various organ systems in humans

This review summarizes research on how micro- and nanoplastics can affect virtually every organ system in the human body, including the digestive, respiratory, immune, and reproductive systems. The evidence from animal and cell studies shows these particles cause harm through oxidative stress, inflammation, immune dysfunction, and disrupted metabolism, though more research using realistic exposure levels in humans is needed.

Nanonet trapping for effective removal of nanoplastics by iron coagulation

Scientists developed a new iron-based water treatment method that creates tiny net-like structures capable of trapping and removing nanoplastics that conventional water treatment cannot filter out. This approach works effectively in real-world water samples and could be adopted by existing water treatment plants, offering a practical way to reduce nanoplastic contamination in drinking water.

Micro- and nanoplastics concepts for particle and fibre toxicologists

This review provides guidance for toxicologists studying micro- and nanoplastic particles, calling for better quality standards in research as the field rapidly expands. The authors note that most current studies use commercially available plastic beads that do not represent real-world microplastics, and that standardized approaches to dosing, particle characterization, and exposure methods are urgently needed. With microplastics now confirmed to bioaccumulate in human tissues, establishing rigorous research standards is critical for accurately assessing health risks.

Microplastics in fish and fishmeal: an emerging environmental challenge?

Researchers found that commercial fishmeal, which is used in animal and fish feed, contains about 124 microplastic particles per kilogram, potentially more than the original fish it was made from. This suggests that the manufacturing process may add extra microplastics to the final product. Through marine aquaculture alone, over 300 million microplastic particles could be released into the ocean annually via fishmeal, creating a cycle where microplastics contaminate both farmed and wild seafood that people eat.

Plastic Pollution, Waste Management Issues, and Circular Economy Opportunities in Rural Communities

This review examines how rural communities around the world are both contributors to and victims of plastic pollution, with agricultural plastic waste being a major source of microplastics in farmland. Poor waste management in rural areas, especially in low- and middle-income countries, leads to plastic contamination of soil, water, and the food supply. The authors argue that involving rural communities in circular economy solutions is essential for reducing plastic pollution and protecting public health.

Nano- and microplastic PBK modeling in the context of human exposure and risk assessment

This review evaluates how computer models that simulate the movement of chemicals through the human body (called PBK models) can be applied to nano- and microplastics to better assess health risks. The authors found that most existing studies on plastic particle behavior in the body have significant quality gaps, making reliable risk assessment difficult. The paper proposes a framework for building better models, which is an important step toward understanding what micro- and nanoplastics actually do once they enter the human body.

Fetus Exposure to Drugs and Chemicals: A Holistic Overview on the Assessment of Their Transport and Metabolism across the Human Placental Barrier

This review examines the various experimental methods used to study how drugs and chemicals cross the placental barrier and reach the developing fetus. Understanding how contaminants including microplastics can pass from mother to baby is essential for protecting fetal health and developing safer guidelines for chemical exposure during pregnancy.

West London Healthy Home and Environment (WellHome) Study: Protocol for a Community-Based Study Investigating Exposures Across the Indoor-Outdoor Air Pollution Continuum in Urban Communities

WellHome is a community-based study that will measure air pollution, including microplastic particles, inside 100 homes across West London and examine links to childhood asthma. The study measures multiple physical, chemical, and biological contaminants in kitchens, bedrooms, and living rooms across different socioeconomic neighborhoods. By measuring microplastics alongside other indoor pollutants, this research could help clarify how household air quality contributes to respiratory health problems in children.

Do contaminants compromise the use of recycled nutrients in organic agriculture? A review and synthesis of current knowledge on contaminant concentrations, fate in the environment and risk assessment

This review examines whether recycled nutrients from waste streams, such as sewage sludge and compost, introduce harmful contaminants including microplastics into organic farmland. While levels of heavy metals and many pollutants have decreased in European waste streams, microplastic contamination in agricultural soil remains widespread and poorly understood. The review highlights that spreading waste-derived fertilizers on farmland is a significant pathway for microplastics to enter the food production system.

Evaluating the impact of the documentary series <i> Blue Planet <scp>II</scp> </i> on viewers' plastic consumption behaviors

This clinical trial tested whether watching the documentary Blue Planet II actually changed people's plastic consumption habits. While the show increased environmental knowledge and concern about ocean plastics, the study found limited evidence that it led to lasting changes in plastic-buying behavior. This highlights the challenge of translating awareness about microplastic pollution into meaningful reductions in plastic use.

Threat of plastic pollution to seabirds is global, pervasive, and increasing

Researchers performed a global spatial risk analysis combining ocean plastic distribution data with the ranges of 186 seabird species to assess which birds face the greatest threat from plastic ingestion. They found that nearly 60% of all seabird species have been documented with plastic in their guts, and predicted that 99% of species will be affected by 2050 at current trends. The study identifies the Southern Ocean as a particular hotspot of risk where high plastic concentrations overlap with diverse and vulnerable seabird populations.

There's something in the air: A review of sources, prevalence and behaviour of microplastics in the atmosphere

This review compiled data from 124 studies to provide a comprehensive picture of microplastics in the atmosphere, including ambient air, deposited particles, dust, and snow. Researchers found microplastics are widespread in the air we breathe, with fibers being the most common shape detected. The study suggests that atmospheric transport is an important but understudied pathway for spreading microplastic contamination across environments.

The Effect of Substrate Properties on Cellular Behavior and Nanoparticle Uptake in Human Fibroblasts and Epithelial Cells

Researchers found that the physical properties of the surface cells grow on significantly affects how they take up nanoparticles, with lung fibroblast cells on soft, flexible surfaces absorbing over three times more silica nanoparticles than cells on rigid surfaces. This finding is important for understanding microplastic health effects because it suggests that nanoparticle uptake in the body depends on the tissue environment, not just the particles themselves. Cells in soft tissues like the lungs may be more vulnerable to nanoplastic absorption than lab tests on rigid surfaces would predict.

Microplastic occurrence in settled indoor dust in schools

Researchers measured microplastic contamination in settled indoor dust collected from 28 schools and found an average of 195 particles per gram of dust. The most common particles were white polyester and polypropylene fibers likely shed from textiles and furnishings. The study highlights that children in school settings face meaningful microplastic exposure through dust inhalation and incidental ingestion.

Communicating Confidence in the Reliability of Micro- and Nanoplastic Identification in Human Health Studies

This paper proposes a framework for improving confidence in how scientists identify and measure micro- and nanoplastics in human tissues and body fluids. The authors argue that studies need to use multiple complementary analysis methods and clearly report their limitations to produce reliable data. Better standardization in detection methods is critical for accurately assessing how much microplastic is actually inside people's bodies and what health risks it may pose.

Development of screening criteria for microplastic particles in air and atmospheric deposition: critical review and applicability towards assessing human exposure

Researchers evaluated 27 studies on microplastics in air and found that most scored below 50% on quality criteria — particularly for contamination controls and measuring particles smaller than 10 micrometers — highlighting the need for standardized methods before reliable human inhalation exposure assessments can be made.

Self-pigmenting textiles grown from cellulose-producing bacteria with engineered tyrosinase expression

Researchers genetically engineered cellulose-producing bacteria to grow self-coloring leather-like textiles by incorporating a melanin-producing enzyme, eliminating the need for synthetic dyes entirely. This advance in sustainable biofabrication offers a path toward textiles that avoid both petroleum-based plastics and the chemical pollution from conventional dyeing processes.

A Review of Atmospheric Micro/Nanoplastics: Insights into Source and Fate for Modelling Studies

This review synthesizes current knowledge about how micro- and nanoplastics move through the atmosphere, covering their sources, transport mechanisms, and eventual deposition. Researchers found that atmospheric transport can carry these particles over long distances quickly, making it a major pathway for global plastic pollution spread. The study identifies key knowledge gaps needed for developing accurate models of airborne microplastic behavior.

Application of Infrared and Near-Infrared Microspectroscopy to Microplastic Human Exposure Measurements

This review evaluates how infrared and near-infrared microscopy techniques are being used to measure human exposure to microplastics from drinking water, dust, food, and air. Researchers found that while these spectroscopic tools are powerful for identifying plastic types and sizes, significant challenges remain in standardizing methods across different sample types. The study highlights that consistent, reliable exposure measurements are essential for understanding whether microplastic levels in everyday environments pose meaningful health risks.

Synthetic biology tools for environmental protection

Researchers reviewed how synthetic biology — engineering microbes and plants with new genetic capabilities — is being applied to detect and remove environmental pollutants, from heavy metals to plastics to industrial chemicals. These genetically engineered "living sensors and cleaners" represent a promising frontier for addressing pollution that conventional treatment methods struggle to handle.

Degradation of PET plastic with engineered environmental bacteria

Scientists engineered a soil bacterium to break down PET plastic, one of the most common plastics in food packaging and textiles, by giving it the ability to produce and secrete a powerful plastic-degrading enzyme. This is one of the first demonstrations of a living microorganism that can directly consume PET as a food source, which could lead to more sustainable recycling approaches.

Risk assessment of plastic pollution on marine diversity in the Mediterranean Sea

Researchers modeled plastic ingestion risk for 84 Mediterranean species across six taxonomic classes, finding that coastal species face the highest risk and that species with larger home ranges encounter plastic over greater distances — identifying spatial hotspots that could guide conservation priorities.

On the vertical structure of non-buoyant plastics in turbulent transport

Researchers investigated how non-floating plastic debris moves through river-like flows and found that plastics settle in unique, complex patterns due to their irregular shapes. In low-turbulence conditions, interactions between the plastic particles and the riverbed enhanced mixing beyond what standard sediment transport models would predict. The study proposes a new equation for describing how plastics are distributed vertically in flowing water.