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Papers
2,813 resultsAssessing the Efficacy of Pyrolysis–Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry for Nanoplastic and Microplastic Analysis in Human Blood
Researchers tested whether a common lab technique (pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry) can reliably measure nanoplastics in human blood. They found that realistic detection limits were up to 20 times higher than ideal conditions suggest, and certain common plastics like polyethylene produced false readings due to interference from blood components. The study concludes that better analytical methods are needed before we can accurately measure plastic levels in human blood.
Non-degradable microplastic promote microbial colonization: A meta-analysis comparing the effects of microplastic properties and environmental factors
This meta-analysis found that non-degradable microplastics — particularly PVC and polystyrene — support significantly more microbial colonization and biofilm formation than degradable plastics. Smaller particles were more conducive to colonization, and environmental factors like temperature, salinity, and exposure duration became increasingly important over time, with ocean microplastics forming biofilms more easily than those in lakes.
Impact of microplastics on the human gut microbiome: a systematic review of microbial composition, diversity, and metabolic disruptions
This systematic review of 12 studies found that microplastics including polyethylene, polystyrene, and PVC induce gut dysbiosis in humans, reducing beneficial bacteria and enriching pathogens. Microplastic exposure also impairs short-chain fatty acid production and modulates immune pathways, contributing to intestinal disease, metabolic syndrome, and chronic inflammation.
Nanoplastic concentrations across the North Atlantic
Scientists measured nanoplastics (plastic particles smaller than a micrometer) across the entire North Atlantic Ocean for the first time. They found these tiny particles throughout the water column, with estimated amounts in the surface layer alone potentially reaching 27 million tonnes. This mass rivals or exceeds previous estimates for all larger plastics in the entire Atlantic, showing that nanoplastic pollution is far more extensive than previously thought.
Biodegradation of Typical Plastics: From Microbial Diversity to Metabolic Mechanisms
This review examines how marine microorganisms, including bacteria and fungi, can naturally break down common plastics like PET, polystyrene, and polyethylene. Marine microbes may be better adapted than land-based organisms for this task because they already thrive in harsh conditions, offering a potential environmentally friendly approach to addressing ocean plastic pollution.
Discovery and analysis of microplastics in human bone marrow
For the first time, researchers detected microplastics in human bone marrow, finding plastic particles in all 16 samples tested. The most common types were polyethylene and polystyrene, with about 90% of particles smaller than 100 micrometers. This discovery shows that microplastics can penetrate deep into the body and reach the tissue where blood cells are made, raising questions about potential effects on blood cell production and immune function.
Microplastic presence in dog and human testis and its potential association with sperm count and weights of testis and epididymis
Researchers found microplastics in every dog and human testis sample tested, with human testes containing nearly three times more plastic than dog testes. Polyethylene was the dominant plastic type in both species, and certain plastics like PVC and PET were associated with lower testis weight. These findings suggest that widespread microplastic contamination of the male reproductive system could be contributing to declining sperm counts.
Quantitation and identification of microplastics accumulation in human placental specimens using pyrolysis gas chromatography mass spectrometry
Researchers analyzed 62 human placenta samples and found microplastics in every single one, with concentrations ranging from 6.5 to 685 micrograms per gram of tissue. Polyethylene, the most common plastic in everyday products, made up 54% of the plastics found. This widespread presence of microplastics in placentas raises concerns about fetal exposure during pregnancy and potential effects on development.
Microplastics alter the equilibrium of plant-soil-microbial system: A meta-analysis
This meta-analysis pools data from multiple studies to show that microplastics disrupt the balance between plants, soil, and soil microbes. The effects vary depending on the type, size, and concentration of microplastics, suggesting that these tiny plastic particles can alter how nutrients cycle through the soil and ultimately affect the food we grow.
Tissue accumulation of microplastics and potential health risks in human
Researchers analyzed human tissues and found microplastics in every sample tested, with lungs containing the highest concentration at about 14 particles per gram, followed by the small intestine, large intestine, and tonsils. PVC was the most common plastic type found, and women had significantly more microplastic particles than men, raising concerns about long-term health effects.
Microplastics in three types of human arteries detected by pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS)
Researchers detected microplastics in all 17 human artery samples tested, including coronary arteries, carotid arteries, and the aorta. Arteries with atherosclerotic plaques (hardened, narrowed areas) contained significantly more microplastics than plaque-free arteries. This suggests that microplastic accumulation may be associated with atherosclerosis, the buildup of fatty deposits in arteries that is a leading cause of heart attacks and strokes.
Micro- and Nanoplastics in the Environment: Current State of Research, Sources of Origin, Health Risks, and Regulations—A Comprehensive Review
This review summarizes the current state of research on micro- and nanoplastics found in air, water, and soil worldwide. These tiny plastic particles pose significant threats to human health including oxidative stress, inflammation, cellular damage, and possible cancer-causing effects, and the authors call for stronger regulations and more research into how they harm the body.
Micro-nanoplastics pollution and mammalian fertility: A systematic review and meta-analysis
This meta-analysis of 79 studies across five mammalian species found that micro- and nanoplastics cause reproductive toxicity in a concentration-dependent manner, particularly at high doses. Polystyrene was the most studied polymer, and most research focused on male fertility in mice, leaving a significant gap in knowledge about effects on food-producing animals that could serve as vectors for human exposure.
Health risk assessment of microplastics contamination in the daily diet of South Asian countries
This meta-analysis found that South Asians ingest an estimated 508-2,280 microplastic particles per person per day through food, with salt, fish, milk, and drinking water showing hazard scores above global averages. High-risk polymers including PVC, polyurethane, and polyamide were identified, with annual microplastic ingestion rates reaching up to 36.3 grams per person through fish consumption alone.
Assessing microplastic and nanoplastic contamination in bird lungs: evidence of ecological risks and bioindicator potential
Researchers examined the lungs of 51 bird species and found microplastics in all of them, averaging over 400 particles per gram of lung tissue, with nanoplastics also detected in five species tested. Birds may serve as early warning indicators of airborne plastic pollution, and the widespread contamination of their lungs suggests that humans breathing the same air face similar exposure risks.
Microplastics in our diet: A growing concern for human health
Microplastics smaller than 5 millimeters are entering our food through drinking water, salt, seafood, packaged food, and even alcoholic beverages. Once consumed, these particles have been detected in human blood, feces, breast milk, liver, and other tissues, showing they can accumulate throughout the body. Emerging evidence links microplastic exposure to inflammation, oxidative stress, gut problems, brain effects, reproductive harm, and cardiovascular risks.
Microplastics exacerbate ferroptosis via mitochondrial reactive oxygen species-mediated autophagy in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Researchers found that microplastics worsen chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) by triggering a chain reaction in lung cells: the plastics damage mitochondria (the cell's energy centers), which produces harmful molecules that activate a self-destructive process called autophagy-dependent ferroptosis. Lung tissue from COPD patients contained significantly higher concentrations of polystyrene microplastics than healthy controls. When scientists blocked this destructive pathway in mice, it reduced the excessive inflammation and prevented COPD flare-ups caused by microplastic exposure.
A systematic review of the effects of nanoplastics on fish
This systematic review examines how nanoplastics (extremely small plastic particles) affect fish, including their ability to cross biological barriers and accumulate in tissues. The findings are relevant to human health because fish are a major dietary protein source, and understanding how plastics move through aquatic food chains helps us assess our own exposure risks.
Microplastics enhance the prevalence of antibiotic resistance genes in mariculture sediments by enriching host bacteria and promoting horizontal gene transfer
Researchers found that polystyrene and PVC microplastics in marine sediments increased the abundance of antibiotic resistance genes by 1.4 to 2.8 times compared to sediment without plastics. PVC was particularly harmful because its chemical additives, including heavy metals and bisphenol A, promoted bacteria to share resistance genes more readily. These findings show that microplastic pollution in oceans is directly contributing to the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, a major public health concern.
First incidence of microplastic in commercially important food fishes and waters: A case study in the dal Lake ecosystem of North-Western Himalaya (India)
Researchers found microplastics for the first time in commercially important fish and water from Dal Lake in India's Himalayas, with water containing about 197 particles per liter and fish harboring up to 22 particles each. Polyethylene was the most common plastic type found, and the presence of microplastics in food fish indicates these particles are moving up the food chain toward human consumers.
Polyvinyl chloride (PVC), its additives, microplastic and human health: Unresolved and emerging issues
This paper examines PVC (polyvinyl chloride), one of the most commonly used plastics in Europe, and highlights that it fragments into microplastics more easily than other plastics and requires large amounts of potentially toxic chemical additives. The European Commission has recognized PVC's wide-ranging health and environmental problems, and the authors argue that human exposure to PVC microplastics and their chemical additives remains a serious unresolved public health concern.
Far‐Reaching Impact of Microplastics on Agricultural Systems: Options for Mitigation and Adaptation
This systematic review examines how microplastics affect agricultural systems, from soil health and crop growth to farm animals and the food consumers eat. The research highlights that microplastic contamination in farming is widespread and may pose risks throughout the food supply chain, making it a concern for anyone who eats conventionally grown food.
Microplastics and nanoplastics increase major adverse cardiac events in patients with myocardial infarction
In a study of 142 heart attack patients, researchers found microplastics and nanoplastics in the coronary blood of nearly all participants, with polyvinyl chloride (PVC) detected in over 95% of samples. Higher PVC levels were linked to increased inflammatory markers and a significantly greater risk of major heart complications over the 31.5-month follow-up period. For every 10-unit increase in PVC concentration, the risk of a major cardiac event more than doubled.
Complex release dynamics of microplastic additives: An interplay of additive degradation and microplastic aging
This study investigated how microplastics release their chemical additives -- including phthalates, bisphenol A, and flame retardants -- into water, especially under UV sunlight. The process is more complicated than simple leaching: sunlight both breaks down the additives and ages the plastic itself, which changes how fast chemicals are released. These findings matter because the toxic additives that leach from microplastics may pose a greater health risk than the plastic particles themselves.