Papers

The Kidney-Related Effects of Polystyrene Microplastics on Human Kidney Proximal Tubular Epithelial Cells HK-2 and Male C57BL/6 Mice

This study found that polystyrene microplastics caused damage to human kidney cells in the lab and accumulated in the kidneys of mice. The microplastics triggered mitochondrial dysfunction, inflammation, and a cellular stress response called autophagy in kidney tissue. These results suggest that long-term microplastic exposure could be a risk factor for kidney disease.

Polystyrene microplastic-induced extracellular vesicles cause kidney-related effects in the crosstalk between tubular cells and fibroblasts

Researchers found that polystyrene microplastics cause kidney tubule cells to release tiny signaling packages (extracellular vesicles) that trigger stress responses and scarring in neighboring kidney cells. This cell-to-cell communication pathway spread the damage beyond the cells directly exposed to the microplastics. The findings suggest a mechanism by which microplastic exposure could contribute to kidney fibrosis and long-term kidney damage in humans.

Exposure to polystyrene microplastics impairs hippocampus-dependent learning and memory in mice

Researchers found that mice exposed to polystyrene microplastics for eight weeks showed impaired learning and memory, with plastic particles detected in their hippocampus, the brain region critical for memory formation. The microplastics caused neuroinflammation, disrupted synaptic signaling, and altered gene expression in the brain. Interestingly, cutting the vagus nerve partially prevented these effects, suggesting that gut-brain communication plays a role in how ingested microplastics affect cognitive function.

Improving Pure Titanium’s Biological and Mechanical Characteristics through ECAP and Micro-Arc Oxidation Processes

Researchers enhanced commercially pure titanium's mechanical and biological properties for biomedical implants using equal-channel angular pressing combined with micro-arc oxidation, improving its feasibility as an alternative to titanium alloys.

Measurement of Low Concentration of Micro-Plastics by Detection of Bioaffinity-Induced Particle Retention Using Surface Plasmon Resonance Biosensors

Researchers used surface plasmon resonance biosensors coated with biological recognition molecules to detect microplastics at low concentrations in water, demonstrating a sensitive and label-free detection approach that could be adapted for real-time environmental monitoring.

Polystyrene nanoplastics promote neurodegeneration by catalyzing TDP43 hyperphosphorylation

Researchers exposed human stem cell-derived neurons to polystyrene nanoplastics and found that the particles penetrated cells in a size-dependent manner and bound to TDP43, a protein implicated in ALS. The nanoplastics appeared to facilitate conditions leading to TDP43 hyperphosphorylation, resulting in ALS-like characteristics including disrupted neuronal structure, impaired mitochondrial function, and accelerated motor neuron death. The study suggests that nanoplastic exposure may contribute to the development of neurodegenerative conditions by promoting harmful protein modifications in nerve cells.

Corrigendum to: “Exposure to polystyrene microplastics impairs hippocampus-dependent learning and memory in mice” J. Hazard. Mater. 430 (2022) 128431

Microplastic contamination of commercial dried fish in Southern Philippines; prevalence, characteristics, and risk potential

Researchers analyzed microplastic contamination in commercial dried anchovies (dilis) from markets in three southern Philippine cities. Of 2,304 individual fish analyzed, 37 microplastics were found (predominantly blue fibers), with concentrations highest in Pagadian (0.171 MPs/g), indicating contamination risk from consuming this common food source.

Characterizing sludge-derived microplastics from various wastewater treatment plants in Taiwan: Insights from spatiotemporal patterns and ecological risks

Evaluation of Locomotion Complexity in Zebrafish after Exposure to Twenty Antibiotics by Fractal Dimension and Entropy Analysis

Researchers exposed adult zebrafish to 20 different antibiotics and analyzed locomotor behavior complexity using fractal dimension and entropy metrics, finding that several antibiotics caused statistically significant changes in swimming patterns. The behavioral phenomic approach identified antibiotic-specific neurobehavioral effects at low concentrations, suggesting many commonly used aquaculture antibiotics have neurotoxic potential.

Contamination of microplastics in mangrove sediment cores from Lach Huyen area, Hai Phong city, Vietnam

Microplastic concentrations in sediment cores from mangrove forests near a major Vietnamese port averaged over 1,300 particles per kilogram — substantially higher than comparable regions globally — with fibres comprising 80% of particles and concentrations decreasing with sediment depth, suggesting recent intensification of pollution. Mangrove sediments act as long-term plastic sinks, and the high fibre burden raises concern for the benthic organisms and communities that depend on these critical coastal ecosystems.

Microplastic Contamination of Three Commonly Consumed Seafood Species from Taiwan: A Pilot Study

Researchers conducted a pilot study of microplastic contamination in three commonly consumed Taiwanese seafood species — hard clam, oyster, and Loligo squid — finding 100 microplastic particles across 107 individuals, with polypropylene and poly(ethylene:propylene:diene) as the most common polymer types. The study provided a first baseline of seafood microplastic contamination relevant to a population with high per-capita seafood consumption.

Surface‐enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) by gold nanoparticle characterizes dermal thickening by collagen in bleomycin‐treated skin ex vivo

This paper is not relevant to microplastics; it uses Raman spectroscopy to detect collagen changes in mouse skin tissue treated with bleomycin, a model of skin fibrosis.

Microplastic Contamination of Three Commonly Consumed Seafood Species from Taiwan: A Pilot Study

This pilot study detected microplastics in three commonly consumed seafood species from Taiwan, including oysters, mussels, and clams, finding an average of around 1-2 particles per gram of tissue. Given the high per-capita seafood consumption in Taiwan, the findings suggest meaningful human microplastic exposure through local food culture.

Distribution and controlling factors of microplastics in surface sediments of typical deep-sea geomorphological units in the northern South China Sea

Researchers collected surface sediments from typical deep-sea geomorphological units — sand dunes, sediment drifts, and submarine canyon channels and levees — in the northern South China Sea to examine how sedimentary dynamic conditions control the distribution of microplastics in deep-sea environments.