Papers

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Article Tier 2

Detection of Microplastics in Human Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid: Preliminary Evidence of Respiratory Exposure to Environmental Contaminants

Researchers analyzed bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from eight adult patients undergoing diagnostic bronchoscopy and detected microplastics in the samples using microscopy, providing preliminary direct evidence that airborne microplastics deposit in the human respiratory tract.

2025 Cureus
Article Tier 2

Bronchoalveolar Lavage as a Diagnostic Window into Human Exposure to Microplastics and Associated Lung Changes

Bronchoalveolar lavage analysis revealed microplastics in the lower respiratory tract of human patients and showed associated inflammatory changes, providing direct evidence of pulmonary microplastic exposure and supporting the need for occupational and environmental health monitoring.

2025 Journal of Pharmacy And Bioallied Sciences
Article Tier 2

Presence of microplastics in human’s respiratory system: bronchoalveolar and bronchial lavage fluid

Researchers analyzed bronchial and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from patients undergoing bronchoscopy and confirmed the presence of microplastics in the human respiratory system. They characterized the types, sizes, and quantities of microplastic particles found at different levels of the airways. The study provides direct evidence that microplastics deposit within human lungs and suggests that respiratory exposure is a meaningful route of human microplastic intake.

2025 Journal of Environmental Health Science and Engineering 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in Human Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid

Researchers developed a new method for detecting microplastics in fluid washed from human lungs (bronchoalveolar lavage fluid) and found plastic particles present in every patient tested. They also applied Nile Red staining for the first time to visualize plastics in lung samples, which proved effective for screening and counting particles. The findings provide direct evidence that microplastics are present in the human respiratory system, with a potential link to lung inflammation.

2025 Respirology 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Human Exposure to Airborne Microplastics: A Study on Detection and Potential Health Effects Using BAL Fluid

This study detected inhaled microplastics in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from the lower respiratory tract of human patients and found associations between microplastic presence and markers of lung inflammation and impaired lung function.

2025 Journal of Pharmacy And Bioallied Sciences
Clinical Trial Tier 1

New evidence of the presence of micro- and nanoplastic particles in bronchioalveolar lavage samples of clinical trial subjects

Researchers found micro- and nanoplastic particles in the lung fluid of patients undergoing bronchoscopy — a procedure that samples the deep airways — marking the first detection of airborne nanoplastics in the lower respiratory tract of living humans. All samples contained plastic particles, confirming that people in Northern Europe are regularly inhaling plastics, though the health effects remain under investigation.

2023 Heliyon 24 citations
Article Tier 2

Evidence of Microplastics in Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid among Never-Smokers: A Prospective Case Series

Researchers conducted a prospective case series examining bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from 18 never-smokers in China using laser direct infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The study found evidence of microplastic deposition in the respiratory tract, suggesting that inhaled microplastics can accumulate in the lungs even among people who have never smoked.

2023 Environmental Science & Technology 76 citations
Article Tier 2

First evidence of microplastics isolated in European citizens’ lower airway

Researchers provided the first evidence of microplastics in the lower airways of living European adults, using bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from 44 patients. Nearly all detected particles were microfibers averaging about 1.7 millimeters in length, with an average concentration of roughly 9 items per 100 milliliters of fluid. The findings confirm that microplastics reach deep into the human respiratory system, though the health implications require further investigation.

2022 Journal of Hazardous Materials 198 citations
Article Tier 2

Assessment of background plastics contamination from human respiratory tract sample collection vessels

Researchers found that disposable plastic collection vessels used in bronchoalveolar lavage and transbronchial aspiration procedures can contaminate respiratory tract samples with microplastic particles, highlighting the need for blank controls and low-plastic equipment in human inhalation studies.

2023 Water Emerging Contaminants & Nanoplastics
Article Tier 2

Isolation and characterization of microplastics from the human respiratory system: Sputum, broncho-alveolar lavage fluid, and pleural fluid simultaneously

In the first study of its kind in Iran, researchers found microplastics in every sample collected from the human respiratory system, including sputum, lung fluid, and the fluid surrounding the lungs. Polyester fibers were the most common type detected, and people with occupational exposure or smoking habits had higher amounts, confirming that we regularly breathe in microplastics that reach deep into our lungs.

2024 Environmental Pollution 29 citations
Article Tier 2

Detection and Analysis of Microplastics in Human Sputum

Researchers analyzed sputum (mucus from the lungs) from 22 patients with respiratory diseases and found microplastics in every single sample, identifying 21 different plastic types. Polyurethane was the most common type detected, and most particles were smaller than 500 micrometers. This study provides direct evidence that humans are inhaling microplastics, with factors like smoking and medical procedures increasing the amount found in the respiratory tract.

2022 Environmental Science & Technology 494 citations
Article Tier 2

How can microplastics be detected in the lung?

This overview describes multiple detection methods for identifying microplastics in lung tissues, including spectroscopy and advanced microscopy techniques. Each method has specific strengths for characterizing the type and amount of plastic particles present.

2026 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in urine, sputum and lung lavage fluid from patients with respiratory illnesses

Researchers analyzed urine, sputum (mucus from coughing), and lung fluid from 30 patients with respiratory conditions in Iran and found microplastics in all three types of samples. Sputum contained the most particles (358 total), dominated by polyurethane fibers, while urine had the fewest (9 particles). The different types and sizes of plastics found in each fluid suggest the body sorts and distributes inhaled and ingested microplastics through different pathways.

2025 Environmental Research 30 citations
Article Tier 2

How can microplastics be detected in the lung?

This overview describes the methods available for detecting microplastics in lung tissue, including spectroscopy and advanced microscopy techniques. Each method offers specific advantages for identifying the type, size, and quantity of plastic particles present in the lungs.

2026 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Microplastics inhalation: evidence in human lung tissue

Microplastic particles were found in human lung tissue samples collected during surgery, confirming that people inhale and retain microplastics in pulmonary tissue, with polypropylene and polyethylene terephthalate among the polymers identified, raising concerns about chronic respiratory and inflammatory effects.

2021 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Raman Spectral Imaging for the Detection of Inhalable Microplastics in Ambient Particulate Matter Samples

Researchers developed a filter-based sampling method compatible with Raman spectral imaging to detect inhalable-sized microplastics in ambient air samples. They successfully identified and mapped plastic particles as small as a few micrometers on sampling filters. The study provides a practical new analytical approach for measuring airborne microplastic exposure, an area where reliable detection methods have been lacking.

2019 Environmental Science & Technology 143 citations
Article Tier 2

Presence of airborne microplastics in human lung tissue

Researchers examined human lung tissue from autopsies and found microplastic particles and fibers in 13 out of 20 samples. The most common plastics were polyethylene and polypropylene, with particles smaller than 5.5 micrometers. This study provides direct evidence that inhaled microplastics accumulate in human lungs, raising concerns about potential long-term effects on respiratory health.

2021 Journal of Hazardous Materials 1155 citations
Article Tier 2

New Evidence of Microplastics in the Lower Respiratory Tract: Inhalation through Smoking

Researchers collected lung fluid samples from smokers and nonsmokers and found that smokers had significantly higher concentrations of microplastics in their lower respiratory tract. A laboratory smoking simulation confirmed that cigarette smoke itself carries microplastic particles, including polyurethane and silicone. The study identifies smoking as a previously unrecognized route of microplastic inhalation, adding to the known health concerns associated with tobacco use.

2023 Environmental Science & Technology 77 citations
Article Tier 2

Nasal lavage technique reveals regular inhalation exposure of microplastics, not associated from face mask use

Researchers used nasal lavage, a technique that rinses the nasal cavity, to measure microplastics that people inhale during normal daily activities. They found an average of about 28 microplastic particles per sample across all participants, with eight different polymer types detected. Notably, the study found no significant difference in microplastic levels between different types of face masks, suggesting that everyday environmental exposure is the primary source of inhaled microplastics rather than mask materials.

2023 Environment International 20 citations
Article Tier 2

Geospatial environmental sources of inhaled microplastics: A case in Zhuhai, China

Researchers analyzed bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from 454 participants who underwent bronchoscopy in Zhuhai, China, to identify environmental sources of inhaled microplastics. They found that proximity to roads, coastlines, and industrial parks was associated with higher microplastic levels in lung fluid. The study provides some of the first direct evidence linking specific geospatial environmental sources to the microplastics found in human lungs.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in the Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid of Chinese Children: Associations with Age, City Development, and Disease Features

Microplastics were detected in nearly 90% of lung fluid samples from Chinese children with respiratory diseases, with an average of about 4 particles per 10 milliliters. Younger children and those living in more developed urban areas had higher levels, likely due to more indoor crawling behavior and greater surrounding plastic use. This is significant because it confirms that children are inhaling microplastics into their lungs, and younger children may be especially vulnerable.

2023 Environmental Science & Technology 76 citations
Article Tier 2

Nanoplastics in the Human Respiratory System

This research paper reports on the detection and characterization of nanoplastics in the human respiratory system, published in a leading pulmonary medicine journal. The study adds to growing evidence that extremely small plastic particles are present in human lungs. The findings underscore the importance of understanding inhalation as a key route of human exposure to plastic pollution.

2024 American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine 9 citations
Article Tier 2

Novel Single-Particle Analytical Technique for Inhalable Airborne Microplastic Particles by the Combined Use of Fluorescence Microscopy, Raman Microspectrometry, and SEM/EDX

Researchers developed a new method combining fluorescence microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and electron microscopy to analyze individual airborne microplastic particles small enough to inhale. The technique can identify both the polymer type and chemical composition of particles under 10 micrometers found in urban air samples. Better tools for characterizing breathable microplastics are essential for understanding respiratory exposure risks.

2023 Analytical Chemistry 33 citations
Article Tier 2

Detection of microplastics in human lung tissue using μFTIR spectroscopy

Researchers analyzed lung tissue from 13 people and found microplastics in 11 of the samples, identifying 12 different plastic types including polypropylene and polyester. The particles were found in all regions of the lungs, with significantly higher concentrations in the lower lung. This is one of the first studies to directly confirm that microplastics from everyday environments can be inhaled and accumulate deep in human lung tissue.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 1264 citations