Papers

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Article Tier 2

Exploring the impact of polyethylene terephthalate nanoplastics on male reproductive health: Insights from a mouse model study

Researchers investigated the effects of PET nanoplastics on male reproductive function, examining sperm quality, hormone levels, and testicular tissue in animal models. PET nanoplastic exposure reduced sperm motility and caused histological changes in testicular tissue, suggesting a potential role in male infertility.

2024 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Exploring the impact of polyethylene terephthalate nanoplastics on male reproductive health: Insights from a mouse model study

Researchers investigated the impact of polyethylene terephthalate nanoplastics on male reproductive health, examining whether nanoplastic exposure contributes to infertility by affecting sperm function, hormone levels, or testicular tissue. Results showed PET nanoplastics impaired reproductive endpoints in the male reproductive system, adding to growing concern about plastic particle effects on fertility.

2024 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Unseen Threats: The Long‐term Impact of PET‐Microplastics on Development of Male Reproductive Over a Lifetime

Mice that ingested tiny PET plastic particles (the same plastic used in water bottles) over 29 weeks showed serious damage to their reproductive systems. Males had 69% fewer sperm, 24% less testosterone, and significantly smaller reproductive organs. These findings raise concerns that long-term exposure to microplastics from everyday plastics could harm male fertility in humans.

2025 Advanced Science 12 citations
Article Tier 2

Polyethylene Terephthalate Microplastic Exposure Induced Reproductive Toxicity Through Oxidative Stress and p38 Signaling Pathway Activation in Male Mice

Male mice exposed to PET microplastics (the type found in plastic bottles and clothing) for 42 days showed significant reproductive damage, including lower sperm quality and testicular tissue injury. The damage was caused by oxidative stress activating a specific cell-death pathway called p38 signaling, and was reversed when researchers blocked these pathways. This study identifies a clear mechanism by which a very common type of microplastic could harm male fertility.

2024 Toxics 16 citations
Article Tier 2

Toxicity to the Male Reproductive System after Exposure to Polystyrene Nanoplastics: A Macrogenomic and Metabolomic Analysis

Researchers exposed male mice to polystyrene nanoplastics of different sizes through their drinking water for four months and found significant harm to reproductive function. The nanoplastics disrupted gene activity and metabolic pathways in the gut, which was linked to reduced sperm quality and testicular damage. The study suggests that long-term nanoplastic exposure through drinking water may pose risks to male reproductive health.

2024 Toxics 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Reproductive toxicity of polystyrene microplastics: In vivo experimental study on testicular toxicity in mice

Researchers exposed mice to polystyrene microplastics and examined the effects on male reproductive function. They found that microplastic exposure significantly reduced viable sperm count, increased sperm abnormalities, and caused structural damage to testicular tissue, suggesting that microplastics may pose risks to male fertility.

2020 Journal of Hazardous Materials 437 citations
Article Tier 2

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) microplastics induced male reproductive toxicity in mice by activating the p38-MAPK pathway

Researchers exposed male mice to PET microplastics of various sizes for 90 days and found that the particles accumulated in testicular tissue. The microplastics reduced sperm quality, damaged testicular structure, and triggered cell death through a specific stress-response pathway called p38-MAPK. The study suggests that PET microplastic exposure may pose risks to male reproductive health through oxidative stress and programmed cell death.

2025 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Prenatal and postnatal exposure to polystyrene microplastics induces testis developmental disorder and affects male fertility in mice

Researchers exposed pregnant mice and their offspring to polystyrene microplastics from gestation through early life and found significant disruption to testicular development and male reproductive function. The exposed males showed reduced sperm quality, lower testosterone levels, and structural damage to testicular tissue. The study suggests that early-life microplastic exposure may have lasting effects on male fertility.

2022 Journal of Hazardous Materials 116 citations
Article Tier 2

Size-dependent deleterious effects of nano- and microplastics on sperm motility

In a mouse study, nano- and microplastics of four different sizes all impaired sperm movement quality, with the smallest particles (25-30 nanometers) causing the most damage. The tiny particles were able to penetrate into testicular cells, while larger particles could not. This research adds to growing evidence that microplastic exposure at environmentally realistic levels could contribute to declining male fertility, with nanoplastics posing the greatest risk due to their ability to enter reproductive tissues.

2024 Toxicology 13 citations
Article Tier 2

The male reproductive toxicity after nanoplastics and microplastics exposure: Sperm quality and changes of different cells in testis

A mouse study compared the reproductive toxicity of nanoplastics versus microplastics and found that both damaged the testes after 12 weeks of exposure, but microplastics caused more severe harm in some measures. The plastics disrupted sperm production, caused inflammation and oxidative stress, and damaged the cells that support sperm development. These findings suggest that plastic particle exposure could contribute to male fertility problems, with different particle sizes affecting reproductive health through different biological pathways.

2023 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 51 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene microplastics induced male reproductive toxicity in mice

Researchers exposed male mice to polystyrene microplastics of different sizes and found that the particles accumulated in testicular tissue and entered reproductive cells. After 28 days of exposure, sperm quality and testosterone levels declined, and tissue examination revealed disorganized sperm-producing cells and inflammation. The study suggests that microplastic exposure may pose risks to male reproductive health in mammals.

2020 Journal of Hazardous Materials 607 citations
Article Tier 2

Oral exposure to polystyrene nanoplastics reduced male fertility and even caused male infertility by inducing testicular and sperm toxicities in mice

Researchers fed male mice polystyrene nanoplastics of different sizes (25, 50, and 100 nm) for 56 days and found that all sizes reduced fertility and some caused complete infertility. The nanoplastics accumulated in the testes, causing oxidative stress, cell death, and inflammation that damaged sperm and reproductive tissue. This study raises concerns that human exposure to nanoplastics through food and water could contribute to declining male fertility.

2023 Journal of Hazardous Materials 130 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of nano and microplastics on the reproduction system: In vitro and in vivo studies review

This review summarizes both lab and animal studies on how micro and nanoplastics affect the reproductive system in males and females. Evidence shows that microplastics can reduce sperm quality, damage ovaries, disrupt hormone levels, and even cross the placenta during pregnancy. The findings raise significant concerns about how widespread microplastic exposure might contribute to fertility problems and reproductive health issues in humans.

2023 Food and Chemical Toxicology 38 citations
Article Tier 2

The emerging risk of exposure to nano(micro)plastics on endocrine disturbance and reproductive toxicity: From a hypothetical scenario to a global public health challenge

Researchers administered polystyrene nanoplastics orally to male rats for five weeks and found significant reductions in testosterone, LH, and FSH levels, sperm DNA damage, altered testicular gene expression, and dose-dependent histological lesions, indicating that nanoplastic exposure disrupts the hormonal axis governing male reproductive function.

2020 Environmental Pollution 297 citations
Article Tier 2

Unraveling the threat: Microplastics and nano-plastics' impact on reproductive viability across ecosystems

This review summarizes research on how microplastics and nanoplastics affect reproduction across many species, from aquatic invertebrates to mammals including humans. In males, exposure leads to testicular damage, lower sperm quality, and hormone disruption; in females, it causes ovarian and uterine problems, inflammation, and reduced fertility. The evidence also shows these reproductive harms can be passed to offspring, raising serious concerns about long-term effects on human fertility.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 44 citations
Article Tier 2

Transcriptomics and metabolomics reveal functional nanoplastics-induced male reproductive damage and resveratrol antagonistic effects

Scientists found that tiny plastic particles called nanoplastics can seriously damage male fertility in mice by harming sperm production and causing inflammation in the testicles. The good news is that resveratrol, a natural compound found in red grapes and wine, was able to protect against much of this damage. This research matters because nanoplastics are everywhere in our environment and food supply, and this study suggests they could be affecting human male fertility too.

2026 Journal of Nanobiotechnology
Article Tier 2

Microplastics: A Threat for Male Fertility

This review examines the growing evidence that microplastics may pose a threat to male fertility in mammals. Researchers found that these tiny plastic particles can enter the body through food and water, accumulate in tissues, and carry environmental pollutants that may act as hormone disruptors. Recent studies suggest that microplastic exposure is associated with changes in sperm quality, making them a potential concern for reproductive health.

2021 International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 167 citations
Systematic Review Tier 1

Unravelling the potential mechanisms of nano- and microplastic toxicity to the male reproductive system: A systematic review

This systematic review found that micro- and nanoplastics accumulate in the testes and epididymis in rodent models, disrupting the blood-testis barrier, increasing germ cell death, reducing sperm motility, and causing hormone imbalance through oxidative stress and inflammation. Smaller nanoplastics penetrate tissues more readily for molecular disruption, while larger microplastics cause greater structural damage.

2025 Reproductive Toxicology 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Impact of polystyrene microplastic exposure at low doses on male fertility: an experimental study in rats

Researchers exposed adult male rats to varying doses of polystyrene microplastics and found dose-dependent declines in semen quality along with disrupted reproductive hormone levels. Higher doses caused increased oxidative stress, mitochondrial damage, and inflammatory responses in testicular tissue. The study suggests that even relatively low doses of microplastic exposure may have adverse effects on male reproductive health in animal models.

2026 Scientific Reports
Article Tier 2

Exposure to polystyrene nanoplastics impairs sperm metabolism and pre-implantation embryo development in mice

This study found that male mice given polystyrene nanoplastics by mouth showed significant harm to sperm function and early embryo development, with changes in gene expression that could affect offspring. The findings raise concerns that nanoplastic exposure could impair male fertility and potentially pass harmful effects to the next generation.

2025 Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene microplastics cause reproductive toxicity in male mice

Male mice exposed to polystyrene microplastics for six weeks showed significant reproductive damage, including reduced sperm count and motility, lower testosterone levels, and visible tissue damage in the testes. The microplastics caused oxidative stress and triggered cell death pathways in the reproductive tissue. These findings add to growing evidence that microplastic exposure could contribute to declining male fertility.

2024 Food and Chemical Toxicology 12 citations
Article Tier 2

Impact of leachate from boiled-water-treated plastic products on male reproductive health: insights from transcriptomic and metabolomic profiling

Mice exposed daily for six months to leachates from five common plastic types — including polypropylene, polyethylene, polystyrene, and PET — showed testicular tissue damage, reduced sperm production, and significant disruptions to gene expression and metabolic pathways related to male reproductive function. The chemicals that leached from the plastics when treated with boiling water (simulating cooking or hot beverage preparation) drove hormonal and cellular changes consistent with reduced fertility. This study raises practical concerns about the reproductive health risks of using plastic cookware and food containers with hot liquids.

2023
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene and polyethylene terephthalate nanoplastics differentially impact mouse ovarian follicle function

Researchers exposed mouse ovarian follicles to polystyrene and polyethylene terephthalate nanoplastics at environmentally relevant concentrations and found both impaired follicle development and hormone production, with PET causing more severe effects — raising concerns given its widespread use in food packaging.

2025
Article Tier 2

Effects of polystyrene microparticles exposures on spermatogenic cell differentiation and reproductive endpoints in male mice

Researchers found that very small polystyrene microplastics (0.1 micrometers) accumulated in mouse testicular tissue and sperm-producing cells, leading to reduced sperm quality and impaired reproductive function. The particles triggered oxidative stress and disrupted the normal process of sperm cell development. This study adds to growing evidence that microplastic exposure could contribute to male fertility problems in humans, particularly from the smallest particles that can penetrate reproductive tissues.

2025 Environmental Pollution 8 citations