Papers

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Article Tier 2

Lactic acid bacteria reduce polystyrene micro- and nanoplastics-induced toxicity through their bio-binding capacity and gut environment repair ability

Researchers found that lactic acid bacteria, the kind used in yogurt and fermented foods, can reduce the toxic effects of polystyrene micro and nanoplastics in mice. The bacteria worked by physically binding to the plastic particles and by repairing damage to the gut lining and restoring healthy gut bacteria populations. This suggests that probiotics could be a practical way to help protect the digestive system from the harmful effects of microplastic exposure through food and water.

2024 Environmental Pollution 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Lactiplantibacillus plantarum ZP-6 mitigates polystyrene nanoplastics-induced liver damage in colitis mice via the gut-liver axis

The probiotic strain Lactiplantibacillus plantarum ZP-6 mitigated polystyrene nanoplastic-induced liver injury in an animal model through multiple mechanisms including toxin binding, barrier enhancement, and anti-inflammatory activity, suggesting probiotics as a potential strategy for reducing nanoplastic health impacts.

2025 Frontiers in Microbiology
Article Tier 2

Gut microbiota and liver metabolomics reveal the potential mechanism of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG modulating the liver toxicity caused by polystyrene microplastics in mice

Researchers found that the probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG helped protect mice from liver damage caused by polystyrene microplastic exposure. The probiotic worked by restoring healthy gut bacteria and normalizing liver metabolic pathways disrupted by the microplastics. The study suggests that supporting gut health through beneficial bacteria may help mitigate some of the toxic effects microplastics have on the liver.

2023 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 25 citations
Article Tier 2

Lactiplantibacillus plantarum P101 Alleviates Liver Toxicity of Combined Microplastics and Di-(2-Ethylhexyl) Phthalate via Regulating Gut Microbiota

Researchers found that the probiotic Lactiplantibacillus plantarum P101 reduced liver damage caused by combined exposure to microplastics and the plasticizer DEHP in mice. The probiotic reversed oxidative stress and inflammation in the liver and intestines while reshaping the gut microbiota. The study suggests that probiotic supplementation may offer a promising strategy for mitigating the toxic effects of co-exposure to microplastics and plastic-associated chemicals.

2025 Probiotics and Antimicrobial Proteins 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Could probiotics protect against human toxicity caused by polystyrene nanoplastics and microplastics?

This review examines whether probiotics could help protect against the harmful effects of polystyrene nanoplastics and microplastics in the body. Researchers found evidence that probiotic bacteria may counteract plastic-induced gut imbalances, reduce inflammation, and support intestinal barrier function. The study suggests that probiotics represent a promising area of research for mitigating some of the biological effects of microplastic exposure, though more human studies are needed.

2023 Frontiers in Nutrition 24 citations
Article Tier 2

Determination of the ability of native potential probiotic lactobacillus strains in nanoplastic bioremoval in an in-vitro Model

Researchers tested 88 native probiotic Lactobacillus strains for their ability to bind and remove polystyrene nanoplastics in laboratory conditions, finding that a cocktail of three strains achieved up to 77% removal. The most effective strain, L. plantarum RP13, showed strong nanoplastic adhesion confirmed by microscopy imaging. The study suggests that certain probiotic bacteria may have potential as a biological approach to reducing nanoplastic exposure in the gastrointestinal tract.

2025 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 1 citations
Systematic Review Tier 1

Interactions between polystyrene-derived micro- and nanoplastics and the microbiota: a systematic review of multi-omics mouse studies

Researchers systematically reviewed 15 mouse studies and found that exposure to polystyrene micro- and nanoplastics consistently disrupted gut bacteria — reducing beneficial species like Lactobacillus and increasing harmful ones — while also altering metabolic pathways throughout the body. Nanoplastics caused more severe microbiome disruption than larger microplastics, highlighting a serious health concern for humans.

2026 Journal of Environmental Science and Health Part C
Article Tier 2

A probiotic for preventing microplastic toxicity: Clostridium dalinum mitigates microplastic-induced damage via microbiota-metabolism-barrier interactions

Using metagenomics and metabolomics, this study found that the probiotic bacterium Clostridium dalinum reduced microplastic-induced gut damage in mice by modulating gut microbiota composition, metabolic pathways, and intestinal barrier integrity.

2025 Current Research in Food Science
Systematic Review Tier 1

Probiotics as Modulators of Microplastic-induced Toxicity: A Systematic Review

This systematic review found that probiotics can reduce microplastic-induced toxicity in animal models by restoring gut microbiota balance, reducing oxidative stress, and modulating inflammatory responses. The findings suggest that probiotic supplementation may help mitigate the harmful effects of unavoidable microplastic exposure, though human clinical trials are still needed.

2025 Probiotics and Antimicrobial Proteins
Article Tier 2

Probiotics improve polystyrene microplastics-induced male reproductive toxicity in mice by alleviating inflammatory response

Researchers found that giving mice probiotics (beneficial bacteria including Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium) helped protect against reproductive damage caused by polystyrene microplastics. The microplastics disrupted gut bacteria and triggered inflammation that traveled to the testes via the gut-testis connection, reducing sperm quality and testosterone levels. Probiotic treatment restored healthy gut bacteria and reduced the inflammatory response, suggesting that maintaining gut health could help counteract some reproductive harm from microplastic exposure.

2023 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 65 citations
Article Tier 2

Novel probiotics adsorbing and excreting microplastics in vivo show potential gut health benefits

Researchers screened 784 bacterial strains and identified two probiotic strains that can stick to microplastic particles in the gut and help remove them from the body. In mice, these probiotics increased microplastic excretion by 34% and reduced the amount of plastic remaining in the intestine by 67%. This is the first study to show that specific probiotics could help the body get rid of ingested microplastics and reduce gut inflammation caused by them.

2025 Frontiers in Microbiology 14 citations
Article Tier 2

Micro-nanoplastics inhibit extracellular polymeric substance and lactate synthesis via perturbing glucose metabolism of Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus

Researchers found that micro- and nanoplastics — especially nanoscale PET particles — impair the probiotic bacterium Lactobacillus rhamnosus by disrupting central carbon metabolism, reducing its production of lactic acid and protective extracellular polysaccharides, raising concerns that microplastic ingestion could compromise the gut benefits of probiotic bacteria.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials
Article Tier 2

The probiotic SLAB51 as agent to counteract BPA toxicity on zebrafish gut microbiota -liver-brain axis

Researchers tested whether the probiotic supplement SLAB51 could counteract the harmful effects of bisphenol A (BPA), a plastic-derived chemical, in zebrafish and found it significantly restored healthy gut bacteria, reduced liver damage, and protected the brain — suggesting probiotics may help offset harm from plastic-associated chemical exposure.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 21 citations
Article Tier 2

The microplastic-crisis: Role of bacteria in fighting microplastic-effects in the digestive system

This review examines how microplastics affect the human digestive system and explores whether certain bacteria could help counteract the damage. Microplastics disrupt the gut by altering microbial communities, interfering with digestive enzymes, and damaging the protective mucus lining. The authors highlight the potential for probiotic bacteria to bind to microplastics, reduce inflammation, and help repair the gut environment, offering a possible protective strategy against microplastic-related digestive harm.

2024 Environmental Pollution 12 citations
Article Tier 2

Lactobacillus brevis GKJOY Supplementation Ameliorates Oxidative Stress and Reproductive Dysfunction in Male Rats with Polystyrene Microplastics-Induced Reproductive Toxicity

Researchers investigated whether the probiotic Lactobacillus brevis GKJOY could protect against reproductive damage caused by polystyrene microplastics in male rats. The study found that probiotic supplementation helped reduce oxidative stress and improved reproductive function in microplastic-exposed animals, suggesting that certain probiotics may offer protective benefits against microplastic-related reproductive toxicity.

2025 International Journal of Molecular Sciences 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Impacts of polystyrene microplastic on the gut barrier, microbiota and metabolism of mice

Researchers exposed mice to polystyrene microplastics for six weeks and found that the particles accumulated in the gut, reduced protective mucus secretion, and damaged the intestinal barrier. The microplastics also significantly altered the composition of gut bacteria, decreasing beneficial species and increasing harmful ones. The study suggests that microplastic ingestion could disrupt gut health in mammals by simultaneously impairing the physical barrier and reshaping the microbiome.

2018 The Science of The Total Environment 986 citations
Article Tier 2

Probiotics as a therapeutic approach to alleviate reproductive harm from polystyrene microplastics in male rats

Researchers tested whether probiotic supplementation could protect against reproductive toxicity caused by polystyrene microplastic exposure in male rats, finding that PS-MP caused dose-dependent testicular damage and disrupted kisspeptin signaling in the hypothalamus. Probiotics partially reversed these effects, suggesting a gut-testis axis through which microbiome modulation may mitigate reproductive harm.

2025 Scientific Reports
Article Tier 2

Efficient biosorption of nanoplastics by food-derived lactic acid bacterium

Researchers identified a food-derived lactic acid bacterium, Leuconostoc mesenteroides CBA3656, that efficiently binds and removes nanoplastics across a wide range of conditions including varying pH, temperature, and concentrations. In animal experiments, the strain significantly enhanced fecal excretion of nanoplastics, suggesting it could serve as a promising microbial approach for reducing nanoplastic burden in intestinal environments.

2026 Bioresource Technology
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene nanoplastics sequester the toxicity mitigating potential of probiotics by altering gut microbiota in grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella)

Researchers tested whether probiotic pretreatment could protect grass carp from the toxic effects of polystyrene nanoplastics on gut health. While probiotics initially boosted immune responses and reduced intestinal damage, the protective effect was not strong enough to fully counteract nanoplastic toxicity over time. The study suggests that nanoplastics can undermine the gut health benefits of probiotics by disrupting the balance of gut bacteria.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Biodegradation of microplastic by probiotic bifidobacterium

Researchers found that probiotic Bifidobacterium infantis can biodegrade microplastics, demonstrating a novel microbial approach to addressing plastic pollution using a gut-resident bacterium known for regulating intestinal microbiota.

2022 International Journal of Global Warming 24 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics and probiotics: Mechanisms of interaction and their consequences for health

This review explores how microplastics interact with probiotics and what that means for gut health. Researchers summarized evidence showing that microplastics can disrupt the gut lining, alter the microbiome, and trigger inflammation, while certain probiotic strains may help counteract these effects by reducing oxidative stress and supporting the intestinal barrier. The study also discusses the emerging possibility of using engineered probiotics for environmental microplastic cleanup.

2025 AIMS Microbiology 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene microplastics induce gut microbiota dysbiosis and hepatic lipid metabolism disorder in mice

Researchers fed mice two sizes of polystyrene microplastics for five weeks and observed significant disruption of gut bacteria and changes in liver fat metabolism. The microplastics decreased mucus production in the gut and shifted the balance of key bacterial populations at multiple taxonomic levels. The study suggests that microplastic ingestion can trigger gut microbiota imbalance in mammals, which may in turn affect metabolic health.

2018 The Science of The Total Environment 966 citations
Article Tier 2

Deciphering Gut Microbiome Responses upon Microplastic Exposure via Integrating Metagenomics and Activity-Based Metabolomics

Using advanced metagenomics and metabolomics techniques, researchers studied how polystyrene microplastic exposure affects the gut microbiome in mice. The study found that microplastics disrupted the balance of gut bacteria and altered metabolic pathways related to amino acids and lipids. These findings suggest that microplastic exposure could influence gut health and metabolism, though more research is needed to understand the implications for human health.

2023 Metabolites 28 citations
Article Tier 2

Gut Microbiota Participates in Polystyrene Microplastics-Induced Hepatic Injuries by Modulating the Gut–Liver Axis

This mouse study showed that polystyrene microplastics cause liver damage partly through disrupting gut bacteria, which then triggers harmful signals along the gut-liver connection. When researchers eliminated gut bacteria with antibiotics, liver damage from microplastics was reduced, confirming the gut microbiome plays a key role. Green tea extract (EGCG) helped protect the liver by restoring healthy gut bacteria, suggesting diet may help counteract some effects of microplastic exposure.

2023 ACS Nano 160 citations