Papers

20 results
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Article Tier 2

Exploring Bacterial Interactions with Microplastics in the Human Gut Microbiome

This review explored how microplastics interact with bacteria in the human gut microbiome, examining evidence that plastic particles can alter microbial community composition, enable colonization by pathogens, and facilitate horizontal gene transfer of antibiotic resistance genes. The gut microbiome appears to be a significant site of microplastic-microorganism interaction.

2024 Egyptian Academic Journal of Biological Sciences. C, Physiology and Molecular Biology/Egyptian Academic Journal of Biological Sciences. C, Physiology and Molecular Biology 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Polyethylene microplastics cooperate with Helicobacter pylori to promote gastric injury and inflammation in mice

Researchers investigated how polyethylene microplastics interact with the stomach bacterium Helicobacter pylori in mice. They found that H. pylori formed biofilms on microplastic surfaces, and that mice exposed to both microplastics and the bacteria developed more severe gastric inflammation than those exposed to either alone. The study suggests that microplastics may facilitate bacterial colonization in the stomach and amplify infection-related tissue damage.

2021 Chemosphere 84 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic in Gastric Fasting Liquid and Associated Gastric Pathology

This study found microplastic particles in gastric fluid samples collected from patients undergoing routine stomach examinations, and noted associations between microplastic presence and gastric pathologies including H. pylori infection, intestinal metaplasia, and inflammation. The findings provide direct clinical evidence that microplastics accumulate in the human stomach and may be linked to gastric disease, though causality is not yet established. This is an important step toward understanding whether microplastic ingestion contributes to gastrointestinal health problems in humans.

2024 Journal of College of Physicians And Surgeons Pakistan 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Gut microbiome remodeling induced by microplastic exposure in humans

This review synthesizes evidence on how microplastic exposure affects the human gut microbiome, drawing on cross-sectional studies of people exposed through plastic food containers and other sources. Evidence indicates that microplastic exposure is associated with shifts in gut bacteria composition, including increases in certain bacterial groups linked to inflammation. The authors explore potential connections between microplastic-induced changes in gut bacteria and the development of various health conditions.

2026 Gut Microbes
Article Tier 2

Microplastics and their interactions with microbiota

This review examines how microplastics interact with microbiota (the communities of microorganisms in the environment and in living bodies). Microplastics can carry harmful bacteria and disrupt the natural balance of microbial communities in soil, water, and the human gut. The disruption of gut microbiota by microplastics is particularly concerning because a healthy gut microbiome is essential for immune function, digestion, and overall health.

2023 Heliyon 64 citations
Article Tier 2

Gut Microbiota and Extraintestinal Disorders: Are They Interrelated?

This review examines how disturbances to the gut microbiome — the community of bacteria living in the digestive tract — are linked not just to intestinal diseases but also to allergies, asthma, and cardiovascular conditions. This context is relevant to microplastics research because ingested plastic particles have been shown to alter gut microbial communities.

2021 Bengal Physician Journal
Article Tier 2

Gut microbiota, a key to understanding the knowledge gaps on micro-nanoplastics-related biological effects and biodegradation

This review explores how micro- and nanoplastics affect the community of microorganisms living in the gut, and how those same gut microbes might be able to break down plastic particles. Swallowed microplastics can disrupt the balance of gut bacteria, potentially leading to various diseases. On the other hand, some gut bacteria can actually degrade plastics into smaller, less harmful molecules, opening a possible avenue for biological cleanup.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 12 citations
Review Tier 2

Microbial risks associated with microplastics in the food chain and possible control measures (literature review). Part 1. Dietary intake and influence on the gut microbiota

This review summarizes evidence that microplastics commonly found in food and drinking water can disrupt the human gut microbiome when ingested. Studies show that microplastics alter the composition and function of intestinal bacteria, potentially affecting digestion, immunity, and overall health. Since a healthy gut microbiome is essential for human wellbeing, this pathway of harm deserves attention alongside other known risks of microplastic exposure.

2023 Hygiene and Sanitation 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Interaction between microplastics and microorganism as well as gut microbiota: A consideration on environmental animal and human health

This review explores how microplastics interact with microorganisms in the environment and within the gut, examining implications for both animal and human health. Researchers found that microplastics can alter gut microbiota composition, promote the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, and amplify the toxicity of other environmental pollutants. The study suggests that the interaction between microplastics and gut microorganisms is an important emerging area for understanding health risks.

2019 The Science of The Total Environment 405 citations
Article Tier 2

Impact of microplastics on human gut microbiota: first evidences from in vitro gut models

Researchers investigated the impact of microplastics on human gut microbiota using in vitro gut models, providing early experimental evidence of how microplastic exposure may disrupt intestinal microbial communities. The study offers foundational data on microplastic-microbiome interactions that are difficult to study directly in humans.

2022 HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe)
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

Microplastics and the gut microbiome: Emerging health concerns and strategies

This review covers how microplastic ingestion affects the gut microbiome, describing mechanisms by which microplastics cause intestinal disorders, disrupt endocrine function, and promote pathogenic bacterial growth, while also noting inhalation and dermal absorption as secondary exposure routes.

2025 Journal of Environmental Biology
Article Tier 2

Role-Playing Between Environmental Pollutants and Human Gut Microbiota: A Complex Bidirectional Interaction

This review examined the bidirectional relationship between environmental pollutants, including microplastics, and the human gut microbiota, highlighting how toxicants alter microbial communities while gut bacteria can metabolize or modify pollutant toxicity.

2022 Frontiers in Medicine 38 citations
Meta Analysis Tier 1

Meta-analysis of H. pylori and the gut microbiome interactions and clinical outcomes

This meta-analysis identified specific gut microbial signatures associated with H. pylori infection and disease progression, offering predictive models for early diagnosis and risk stratification. The findings support microbiome-based approaches to personalized treatment of H. pylori-associated gastrointestinal disorders.

2025 Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics and human health: unveiling the gut microbiome disruption and chronic disease risks

This review summarizes evidence that microplastics disrupt the gut microbiome, the community of bacteria in our digestive system that plays a key role in immunity, metabolism, and overall health. By altering gut bacteria balance and triggering inflammation, microplastic exposure may contribute to chronic conditions including inflammatory bowel disease, metabolic disorders, and potentially even neurological problems through the gut-brain connection.

2024 Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology 82 citations
Article Tier 2

How do microplastics affect the composition and function of gut microbiota?

Researchers reviewed how microplastics may disrupt gut microbiota composition and metabolic function, noting that while dysbiosis is a likely outcome of exposure, the full scope of these effects in humans remains understudied.

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

How do microplastics affect the composition and function of gut microbiota?

Researchers reviewed how microplastics may disrupt gut microbiota composition and metabolic function, noting that while dysbiosis is a likely outcome of exposure, the full extent of these effects in humans remains poorly characterized and understudied.

2026 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Systematic Review Tier 1

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.

2025 BMC Gastroenterology 19 citations
Article Tier 2

Plastics and the microbiome: impacts and solutions

This review examines how plastics affect microbial communities in the environment and in living organisms, including the human gut. Microplastics can carry harmful bacteria, disrupt natural microbial balance, and affect immune responses in host organisms. While some microbes have been reported to degrade plastics, the evidence for breaking down common types like polypropylene, polystyrene, and PVC remains weak, meaning we cannot rely on natural biodegradation to solve the pollution problem.

2021 Environmental Microbiome 253 citations
Article Tier 2

Review: interactions between microplastics and the gastrointestinal microbiome

This review summarizes existing research on how microplastics interact with the gut microbiome in humans, mice, chickens, and aquatic animals. Evidence suggests that gut bacteria can break microplastics into smaller pieces, which may make them more likely to cross the intestinal wall and enter the body. The disruption of the gut microbiome by microplastics is particularly concerning because balanced gut bacteria are essential for immune function, digestion, and overall health.

2024 Italian Journal of Animal Science 14 citations