Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Microplastics and human health: A scientometric analysis

Researchers conducted a scientometric analysis of the scientific literature on microplastics and human health, mapping research trends and publication patterns. The study reveals a rapidly growing body of evidence exploring how ubiquitous microplastic contamination may affect human health, while identifying gaps in current research that need further investigation.

2025 Research Society and Development 1 citations
Article Tier 2

A review of microplastic pollution and human health risk assessment: current knowledge and future outlook

This review reports that people worldwide consume an estimated 11,845 to 193,200 microplastic particles per year, primarily through drinking water. Microplastics can accumulate in organs and cause inflammation, oxidative stress, and potential damage to the nervous and reproductive systems, but standardized methods for assessing these health risks in humans are still lacking.

2025 Frontiers in Environmental Science 19 citations
Article Tier 2

The distribution and total burden of microplastics in the human body

This review examined current approaches to estimating how much nano- and microplastic the human body is exposed to and accumulates, drawing on both modeling and direct measurement studies. The analysis highlights a major gap between external exposure estimates and actual internal body burden data.

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

Microplastics and Human Health: A Comprehensive Review on Exposure Pathways, Toxicity, and Emerging Risks

This comprehensive review examines microplastic exposure pathways in humans, methods of detection, and the potential toxic effects on various biological systems. The study highlights growing evidence that microplastics can enter the body through ingestion, inhalation, and dermal contact, and may affect multiple organ systems, though significant uncertainties remain about long-term health outcomes.

2026 Microplastics
Article Tier 2

Investigating impact of physicochemical properties of microplastics on human health: A short bibliometric analysis and review

This review examined how the physical and chemical properties of microplastics influence their potential impacts on human health, noting that people are exposed through ingestion of contaminated food and water as well as inhalation of airborne particles. Researchers found that once ingested, microplastics can release hazardous chemicals in the digestive tract, while inhaled particles pose oxidative stress risks to the lungs. The study highlights that current air quality standards may not adequately account for suspended plastic particles.

2021 Chemosphere 114 citations
Article Tier 2

Estimation of the mass of microplastics ingested – A pivotal first step towards human health risk assessment

Researchers compiled data from multiple studies to estimate the mass of microplastics that humans ingest from various sources including food, water, and air. This work represents an important first step toward formal health risk assessment, though the study notes significant data gaps and uncertainties that need to be addressed before definitive exposure levels can be established.

2020 Journal of Hazardous Materials 939 citations
Article Tier 2

How much plastic are we ingesting?

This article examines the challenge of measuring human microplastic ingestion, noting that while preliminary figures exist, researchers still lack precise knowledge of daily intake levels and the full health consequences of consuming plastic particles.

2023
Article Tier 2

Further Studies in Translatable Model Systems are Needed to Predict the Impacts of Human Microplastic Exposure

This review highlights that humans are inevitably exposed to microplastics through food, drink, and air, but most toxicity studies have been done in aquatic species at unrealistically high doses. The authors call for better experimental models that reflect realistic human exposure before health risks can be fully assessed.

2020 Open Access Journal of Toxicology 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Growing concerns over ingested microplastics in humans

This paper reviews the growing body of evidence showing that microplastics have been found in various human tissues, raising public health concerns. Researchers note that while laboratory studies demonstrate microplastics can cause cellular damage, significant knowledge gaps remain regarding dose-response relationships, specific target organs, and underlying toxicological mechanisms. The study calls for improved detection technologies and thorough risk assessments to better understand the real-world health implications.

2025 Carbon Research 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Data driven methods to increase the reliability of microplastics hazard assessment

Researchers applied statistical data-driven methods to improve the reliability of microplastic hazard assessments derived from a growing but inconsistent body of ecotoxicology literature. The analysis identified key study characteristics that explain variability in reported effect sizes.

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

Potential adverse health effects of ingested micro- and nanoplastics on humans. Lessons learned from in vivo and in vitro mammalian models

This review compiles recent studies on the effects of ingested micro- and nanoplastics using mammalian in vivo and in vitro models to assess potential human health implications. The authors found that while substantial research effort has been made, significant gaps remain in understanding absorption, biodistribution, and toxicity of these particles in mammalian systems. The review provides recommendations for improved testing methods to generate more relevant and targeted data for human risk assessment.

2019 Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health Part B 272 citations
Article Tier 2

Data driven methods to increase the reliability of microplastics hazard assessment

Researchers applied data-driven methods to synthesize microplastic ecotoxicology studies and improve the reliability of hazard assessments for organisms. The analysis identified systematic biases in the existing literature and proposed statistical approaches to generate more robust effect size estimates.

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

The distribution and total burden of microplastics in the human body

This review assessed current knowledge on the distribution and total body burden of nano- and microplastic particles in humans, synthesizing data from external exposure models and internal tissue measurements. The authors identified major uncertainties in estimating total body burden and called for interdisciplinary studies combining exposure modeling with tissue detection to improve risk assessment for microplastics in healthcare.

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

Micro- and nanoplastics: origin, sources of intake and impact on human health (literature review)

This literature review synthesizes mechanisms by which micro- and nanoplastics interact with living organisms, examining their physicochemical properties, routes of human exposure, and documented health effects across multiple organ systems.

2025 Hygiene and Sanitation
Article Tier 2

Impact of microplastics on human health: exposure mechanisms and potential health implications

This review examines how microplastics enter the human body through food, drinking water, and inhaled air, and summarizes what is known about their potential health effects. Researchers found that microplastics have been detected in human stool samples, blood, and lung tissue, and may carry harmful chemicals and pathogens. The study highlights that while evidence of direct health impacts is still emerging, the widespread presence of microplastics in everyday exposure pathways warrants serious attention.

2024 Quality in Sport 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution associated with probabilistic human health risks: Potential hazards, critical factors, challenges, and limitations

This review provides a framework for estimating the cancer risk from microplastic exposure through food and water, using measures like estimated daily intake and a microplastic cancer risk score. Key factors that determine risk include body weight, the type of plastic, how much is consumed, and how long the exposure lasts. While the data is still incomplete, the framework helps researchers and regulators begin to quantify the potential long-term health dangers of microplastic pollution.

2025 Marine Pollution Bulletin 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution - what have we learned from the last 20 years of research and what are the priorities ahead?

This paper reviewed two decades of microplastic research progress, from the 2004 discovery paper through current knowledge on sources, environmental distribution, and effects. Key findings are that the field has matured substantially, though standardized methodologies and long-term health impact data are still needed.

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

Microplastics in the human body: A comprehensive review of exposure, distribution, migration mechanisms, and toxicity

This comprehensive review pulls together research on how microplastics enter the human body through food, air, and skin contact, and where they accumulate in organs and tissues. The review discusses how particle size determines whether microplastics can cross biological barriers like the gut lining and blood-brain barrier. The authors conclude that microplastics pose significant health risks and call for more research into their long-term effects.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 176 citations