Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Fabrication of microplastic and nanoplastic particles and fibres for use in pulmonary toxicity studies

Researchers developed fabrication methods for polyamide, polystyrene, and polyethylene terephthalate micro/nanoplastics in both particle and fiber forms, producing respirable-sized test materials with verified chemical purity for use in more environmentally realistic lung toxicity studies.

2025 Figshare
Article Tier 2

Fabrication of microplastic and nanoplastic particles and fibres for use in pulmonary toxicity studies

Researchers developed fabrication methods to produce micro- and nanoplastics from three environmentally relevant polymers (polyamide, polypropylene, and PET) in both particle and fiber shapes, addressing a critical gap in pulmonary toxicity research where most studies use only polystyrene spheres.

2025 Particle and Fibre Toxicology
Article Tier 2

Microplastics and nanoplastics, emerging pollutants, increased the risk of pulmonary fibrosis in vivo and in vitro: A comparative evaluation of their potential toxicity effects with different polymers and size

Researchers compared the lung toxicity of microplastics and nanoplastics made from polystyrene, polyethylene, and polypropylene in mice and human lung cells. They found that all particle types induced signs of pulmonary fibrosis, inflammation, and tissue remodeling, with polystyrene nanoplastics causing the most severe effects. The study suggests that smaller nanoplastic particles and certain polymer types may pose greater risks to lung health.

2025 Toxicology 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Additional file 1 of Fabrication of microplastic and nanoplastic particles and fibres for use in pulmonary toxicity studies

This is a supplementary data file for a study on fabricating micro- and nanoplastic particles for lung toxicity research. It does not contain standalone findings.

2025 Figshare
Article Tier 2

88 Microplastic References for Inhalation Studies

This study developed standardized reference microplastic particles in multiple polymer types (TPU, PA-6, PET, LDPE) in the sub-10 micron respirable size range, addressing a critical gap in inhalation toxicology research where consistent reference materials have been lacking. Having well-characterized reference particles will allow different labs to produce comparable results when studying how inhaled microplastics affect lung cells.

2023 Annals of Work Exposures and Health
Article Tier 2

Additional file 1 of Fabrication of microplastic and nanoplastic particles and fibres for use in pulmonary toxicity studies

This is a supplementary data file for a study on fabricating micro- and nanoplastic particles for lung toxicity research. It does not contain standalone findings.

2025 Figshare
Article Tier 2

Microplastic Materials for Inhalation Studies: Preparation by Solvent Precipitation and Comprehensive Characterization

Researchers used solvent precipitation to produce respirable microplastic test materials smaller than 4 micrometers from four common plastic types for use in inhalation toxicity studies. They comprehensively characterized the resulting particles for chemical composition, molecular properties, size, shape, and potential contaminants. The study found that PET, PA-6, and TPU test materials were representative and suitable for inhalation studies, while LDPE posed challenges due to its hydrophobicity causing particle aggregation.

2025 Small 9 citations
Article Tier 2

Methodology, characterization, and multiple-path particle dosimetry modeling of laboratory inhalation exposure for micro-nanoplastic particles in rodents

Researchers developed and characterized a standardized methodology for exposing rodents to inhaled micro- and nanoplastic particles at concentrations representative of environmental and occupational settings. The study used polyamide-12 particles and computational modeling to estimate respiratory deposition patterns in both rats and humans, providing a validated framework for future inhalation toxicology studies on plastic particles.

2026 Microplastics and Nanoplastics
Article Tier 2

Fabrication of Nylon-6 and Nylon-11 Nanoplastics and Evaluation in Mammalian Cells

Researchers fabricated well-characterized nylon-6 and nylon-11 nanoplastics and evaluated their effects on mammalian cells, addressing a critical gap since most toxicity studies rely on polystyrene beads that do not represent the diversity of plastics found in the environment.

2022 Nanomaterials 39 citations
Article Tier 2

Unveiling the Environmental Characteristics of Sub-1000-nm Nanoplastics: A Comprehensive Review of the Preparation Methods for Nanoplastic Model Samples

This review addresses the challenge of creating realistic nanoplastic samples for lab research, since most studies have only used polystyrene spheres that do not represent the diverse shapes and types of nanoplastics found in the real environment. Better lab models are essential for accurately understanding the health risks these tiny plastic particles pose to humans.

2025 Environmental Science & Technology 13 citations
Article Tier 2

Size- and polymer-dependent toxicity of amorphous environmentally relevant micro- and nanoplastics in human bronchial epithelial cells

This study examined how the size and type of plastic particles affect their toxicity to human lung cells. Researchers tested environmentally relevant micro- and nanoplastics with irregular shapes, rather than the uniform spheres typically used in lab studies, to better mimic real-world exposure. The findings contribute to a growing understanding that particle size and polymer composition both matter when assessing the potential health risks of inhaling airborne plastic particles.

2025 Microplastics and Nanoplastics 3 citations
Article Tier 2

A novel method for preparing microplastic fibers

Researchers developed a reproducible laboratory method for generating microplastic fibers from commercial textiles for use in controlled exposure experiments. The method addresses a major gap in ecotoxicology research: unlike spherical microbeads, fibers cannot be purchased commercially, limiting their use in standardized toxicity testing.

2016 Scientific Reports 319 citations
Article Tier 2

Collection and Characterization of Synthetic Airborne Particles

Researchers characterized polypropylene micro-nano particles in the air inside and outside textile industry workplaces, finding workers are exposed to plastic particles across multiple size fractions including fine PM2.5 and PM1 ranges that can penetrate deep into the lungs.

2023 Advanced Materials Letters 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Preparation of Nanoplastic Particles as Potential Standards for the Study of Nanoplastics

Researchers developed methods to prepare well-defined nanoplastic particles as potential reference standards for nanoplastic research, addressing the critical shortage of reliable materials for toxicity studies and analytical method validation. The study characterized the size, shape, and surface properties of the produced particles to confirm their suitability as standards.

2024 YAKUGAKU ZASSHI 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Unveiling the Pulmonary Toxicity of Polystyrene Nanoplastics: A Hierarchical Oxidative Stress Mechanism Driving Acute–Subacute Lung Injury

Researchers investigated the pulmonary toxicity of polystyrene nanoplastics smaller than 100 nm in lung epithelial cells and macrophages, finding that exposure triggered a hierarchical oxidative stress mechanism that drove acute to subacute lung injury through lipid peroxidation and inflammation.

2025 Research
Article Tier 2

Towards a risk assessment framework for micro- and nanoplastic particles for human health

This review proposes a framework for assessing the health risks of micro- and nanoplastics to humans, noting that current methods are inadequate because these particles come in countless types, sizes, and chemical compositions. The authors recommend focusing first on inhalation risks and suggest using existing approaches for evaluating low-toxicity particles and fibers as a starting point for plastic particle safety standards.

2024 Particle and Fibre Toxicology 26 citations
Article Tier 2

Forming Micro-and Nano-Plastics from Agricultural Plastic Films for Employment in Fundamental Research Studies

Researchers developed a method for generating representative micro- and nano-plastics directly from agricultural mulch films (polyethylene and biodegradable starch-based films) for use in ecotoxicology studies, addressing limitations of using commercially manufactured polystyrene spheres as surrogates. The method produced particles with surface chemistry and size distributions more reflective of real environmental agricultural plastic fragments.

2022 Journal of Visualized Experiments 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Pulmonary toxicity assessment of polypropylene, polystyrene, and polyethylene microplastic fragments in mice

Researchers tested the lung toxicity of three common plastic types -- polypropylene, polystyrene, and polyethylene -- in mice by exposing them to microplastic fragments. The study assessed how these inhaled microplastic particles from everyday plastics affect lung health, which is relevant since humans regularly breathe in airborne microplastics.

2024 Toxicological Research 51 citations
Article Tier 2

Defining the size ranges of polystyrene nanoplastics according to their ability to cross biological barriers

Researchers systematically examined polystyrene nanoplastics of different sizes to define the size ranges at which they can cross biological barriers, providing a more precise definition of nanoplastic dimensions relevant to toxicological assessment.

2023 Environmental Science Nano 34 citations
Article Tier 2

Applying Existing Particle Paradigms to Inhaled Microplastic Particles

This review applied existing particle toxicology frameworks to inhaled microplastics, identifying key parallels with known particulate hazards and highlighting that airborne microplastic particles of respirable size may pose underrecognized risks to human health.

2022 Frontiers in Public Health 24 citations
Article Tier 2

Hazard assessment of small-size plastic particles: is the conceptual framework of particle toxicology useful?

Researchers reviewed the toxicological evidence for micro- and nanoplastic hazards using a particle toxicology framework, finding that most cell culture studies show effects only at high concentrations and that animal studies have not demonstrated overt toxicity — while concluding that realistic low-dose studies using tissue models that mimic mammalian architecture are urgently needed to properly assess human health risk.

2019 Food and Chemical Toxicology 48 citations
Article Tier 2

Pulmonary hazards of nanoplastic particles: a study using polystyrene in in vitro models of the alveolar and bronchial epithelium

Lab tests on human lung cell models found that polystyrene nanoplastics did not cause immediate cell death but did interfere with key lung functions like surfactant and mucus production and immune signaling. This means standard toxicity tests may underestimate the real danger of inhaling nanoplastics, and researchers need to look beyond simple cell survival to understand the true health effects on the lungs.

2025 Journal of Nanobiotechnology 13 citations
Article Tier 2

Small micro- and nanoplastic test and reference materials for research: Current status and future needs

This review highlights the critical shortage of well-characterized, environmentally relevant reference materials for studying small microplastics and nanoplastics. Most laboratory studies use commercially available spherical particles that do not represent the irregular, weathered particles found in nature. The authors call for developing standardized reference materials that better mimic real-world microplastic contamination to improve the reliability of exposure and hazard assessments.

2025 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Micro- and nanoplastics concepts for particle and fibre toxicologists

This review provides guidance for toxicologists studying micro- and nanoplastic particles, calling for better quality standards in research as the field rapidly expands. The authors note that most current studies use commercially available plastic beads that do not represent real-world microplastics, and that standardized approaches to dosing, particle characterization, and exposure methods are urgently needed. With microplastics now confirmed to bioaccumulate in human tissues, establishing rigorous research standards is critical for accurately assessing health risks.

2024 Particle and Fibre Toxicology 24 citations