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Papers
92 resultsShowing papers from Monash University
ClearUltra-processed food exposure and adverse health outcomes: umbrella review of epidemiological meta-analyses
This umbrella review of epidemiological studies examines the health effects of ultra-processed foods, which are a significant source of human microplastic exposure due to plastic packaging. Ultra-processed foods have been linked to a wide range of adverse health outcomes in population studies. The connection between processed food packaging and microplastic contamination adds another dimension to why reducing ultra-processed food consumption may benefit health.
Polystyrene Nanoplastics Hitch-Hike the Gut–Brain Axis to Exacerbate Parkinson’s Pathology
Scientists found that polystyrene nanoplastics can travel from the gut to the brain along nerve pathways and worsen Parkinson's disease in mice. The nanoplastics accelerated the clumping of alpha-synuclein, a protein central to Parkinson's, which triggered brain inflammation, damaged mitochondria, and impaired the cellular cleanup system. Mice exposed to both nanoplastics and the disease protein showed progressive physical and motor decline resembling Parkinson's symptoms.
Immune-mediated disease caused by climate change-associated environmental hazards: mitigation and adaptation
This review examines how climate change-driven events like wildfires, dust storms, and heatwaves increase air pollution and allergen exposure, contributing to rising rates of asthma, autoimmune diseases, and cancer. The paper specifically notes that nanoplastics, alongside other environmental pollutants, can disrupt skin and mucous membrane barriers and alter the microbiome in ways that trigger immune system dysfunction.
Endothelial leakiness elicited by amyloid protein aggregation
Scientists discovered that clumps of amyloid beta protein, which are linked to Alzheimer's disease, can physically pry open the junctions between cells lining blood vessels in a way similar to how nanoparticles do. This causes blood vessel leakiness in the brain, which may help explain how Alzheimer's disease spreads. While not directly about microplastics, the finding that tiny particles can breach blood vessel barriers is relevant to understanding how nanoplastics might also enter the brain.
Phthalates and Their Impacts on Human Health
This review examines phthalates, chemicals widely used to make plastics flexible, and their harmful effects on human health as endocrine disruptors. Chronic exposure to phthalates has been linked to reproductive problems, developmental issues in children, and complications during pregnancy. Since phthalates are common additives in microplastics, understanding their toxicity is essential for assessing the full health risk of microplastic exposure.
Beyond apoptosis: evidence of other regulated cell death pathways in the ovary throughout development and life
This review explores different types of programmed cell death in the ovary beyond the well-known process of apoptosis, and their roles in ovarian development and function throughout a woman's life. While not focused on microplastics directly, these cell death pathways are important because emerging research shows that microplastic and nanoplastic exposure can trigger abnormal cell death in ovarian tissue. Understanding these pathways is key to assessing how environmental pollutants may affect female fertility.
Eco‐Friendly Solutions to Emerging Contaminants: Unveiling the Potential of Bioremediation in Tackling Microplastic Pollution in Water
This review examines bioremediation -- using microorganisms to break down microplastics in water -- as a greener alternative to costly physical and chemical removal methods. While certain bacteria and fungi show real promise in degrading plastics like polyethylene and polystyrene, challenges remain in scaling these approaches. Reducing microplastics in water is important because contaminated water is one of the main ways these particles reach humans.
Global assessment of marine plastic exposure risk for oceanic birds
Researchers combined ocean plastic density maps with GPS tracking data for over 7,000 seabirds across 77 petrel species to identify where birds are most likely to encounter and accidentally eat plastic debris. High-risk zones were identified in the Mediterranean, northeast Pacific, and South Atlantic, with threatened species facing disproportionately greater exposure — often in international waters beyond any single country's control.
Cerebral to Systemic Representations of Alzheimer’s Pathogenesis Stimulated by Polystyrene Nanoplastics
Researchers found that environmentally realistic levels of polystyrene nanoplastics worsened Alzheimer's disease symptoms in mice, triggering brain inflammation, neuron death, and cognitive decline. The nanoplastics also disrupted metabolism and caused organ damage beyond the brain, including liver and kidney effects. This study provides some of the first evidence that nanoplastic exposure could accelerate brain diseases like Alzheimer's, especially as nanoplastics have been found in human brain tissue.
Microglial clearance of Alzheimer's amyloid-beta obstructed by nanoplastics
Researchers found that polystyrene nanoplastics interfere with the brain's ability to clear amyloid-beta, the protein that builds up in Alzheimer's disease. The nanoplastics accelerated amyloid clumping and drained the energy of brain immune cells that normally clean up these harmful proteins. This study suggests that nanoplastic exposure could worsen or contribute to the development of Alzheimer's disease.
Microplastics, plastics, and their products exposures and cancer: a pooled analysis
This pooled analysis of existing case-control studies found only a weak correlation between microplastic and plastic exposure and cancer risk. The authors caution that the evidence is limited by methodological problems in the available studies. While this does not rule out a cancer connection, it highlights the need for better-designed research to understand whether long-term microplastic exposure truly increases cancer risk in humans.
Leveraging AI to improve evidence synthesis in conservation
This review examines how large language models and other AI tools can accelerate systematic evidence synthesis in conservation science, which is traditionally expensive and slow. While not specific to microplastics, the approach is directly relevant to the growing challenge of synthesizing the rapidly expanding body of microplastic research literature.
Anionic nanoplastic exposure induces endothelial leakiness
Researchers discovered that nanoplastics made of anionic polystyrene and poly(methyl methacrylate) can disrupt the junctions between blood vessel cells, causing increased vascular leakiness. This effect was dose-dependent and driven by biophysical interactions rather than typical cell toxicity like oxidative stress or cell death. The findings reveal a previously unknown way that nanoplastics could affect the body's circulatory system by making blood vessels more permeable.
Machine learning outperforms humans in microplastic characterization and reveals human labelling errors in FTIR data
Researchers developed a small but powerful neural network that can identify microplastic types from infrared spectroscopy data more accurately than human experts. The AI model classified 16 different categories of microplastics and even revealed errors in human-labeled data. This technology could dramatically speed up microplastic analysis in environmental and health studies, making it easier to understand the scale and types of microplastic contamination people are exposed to.
Infection prevention and control programme priorities for sustainable health and environmental systems
Researchers highlight a paradox in healthcare: infection prevention programs that protect patients and workers from disease also generate significant plastic waste and environmental harm. Addressing this trade-off is essential for building health systems that are both safe and truly sustainable.
Tuning Cellular Perception in Pluripotent Stem Cells through Topography, Stiffness, and Patterning
Researchers reviewed how physical surface features like texture, stiffness, and micro-scale patterns influence how stem cells grow and specialize. They found that carefully engineered surface cues can guide stem cell development without chemical signals, which has implications for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. While not directly about microplastics, the study is relevant to understanding how micro-scale particles in the body might interact with cells at the physical level.
Infectious disease ecology and evolution in a changing world
This study examines how changing environmental conditions, particularly thermal shifts, can influence infectious disease dynamics. The research suggests that temperature conditions can strongly affect both host and pathogen traits related to infection.
Biomarkers for diagnosis and prediction of therapy responses in allergic diseases and asthma
This review examines biomarkers used for diagnosing and predicting treatment responses in allergic diseases and asthma, focusing on advances in personalized medicine. Researchers discuss how molecular and cellular markers can help classify disease subtypes and guide targeted therapies. The study highlights the shift toward precision medicine approaches that tailor treatments to individual patient profiles rather than using one-size-fits-all strategies.
Current understanding and challenges for aquatic primary producers in a world with rising micro- and nano-plastic levels
Researchers conducted a quantitative analysis of published studies on how micro- and nanoplastics affect aquatic primary producers like microalgae. They found that microplastics generally inhibited algal growth, but typically only at concentrations much higher than those currently found in the environment, with positively charged particles being the most toxic. The study highlights that the effects on photosynthesis and metabolism vary greatly depending on particle properties and algal species.
Future Directions in Conservation Research on Petrels and Shearwaters
This review assembled 38 conservation researchers to summarize the major threats facing petrels and shearwaters, a group of seabirds where 41 percent of species are threatened. Researchers identified invasive species, bycatch, overfishing, light pollution, climate change, and pollution including microplastics as the six primary threats. The paper proposes future research directions and management strategies including habitat restoration, improved fisheries policies, and better monitoring of pollution impacts on these vulnerable seabird populations.
One hundred research questions in conservation physiology for generating actionable evidence to inform conservation policy and practice
A collaborative effort identified 100 priority research questions across 10 themes in conservation physiology, including pollution, human-wildlife interactions, and climate adaptation. The study suggests that conservation physiology is well positioned to identify mechanisms behind population declines and test intervention strategies, providing actionable evidence to inform biodiversity management and policy decisions.
Micro- and nanoplastics interact with conventional pollutants on microalgae: Synthesis through meta-analysis
This meta-analysis of 933 experimental assessments found that micro- and nanoplastics interact with conventional pollutants like heavy metals and pesticides on microalgae in predominantly antagonistic ways, meaning the combined toxicity was often less than expected. This occurs because plastic particles adsorb pollutants from the water, reducing their bioavailability, though the effect varies by plastic size, charge, and aging.
Nanoplastic Stimulates the Amyloidogenesis of Parkinson's Alpha‐Synuclein NACore
This study found that nanoplastic particles can accelerate the clumping of a protein called alpha-synuclein, which is linked to Parkinson's disease. Using advanced mass spectrometry, researchers showed that nanoplastics sped up the formation of harmful protein clusters and increased their toxicity to brain cells. The findings suggest that nanoplastic exposure could be a factor worth investigating in neurodegenerative disease research.
Sex-specific effects of psychoactive pollution on behavioral individuality and plasticity in fish
Researchers exposed guppies to the antidepressant fluoxetine across multiple generations and found that the drug altered behavioral individuality and flexibility differently in males versus females. Males showed reduced variation in activity levels, while females maintained more behavioral diversity but changed their stress responses. The study suggests that pharmaceutical pollution in waterways may subtly reshape animal behavior in ways that differ between sexes, with potential consequences for population adaptability.