Papers

61,005 results
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Systematic Review Tier 1

Deleterious effects of microplastics and nanoplastics on rodent lungs: a systematic review

This systematic review summarizes research on how inhaled micro- and nanoplastics affect the lungs in animal studies. The findings show these particles can cause lung inflammation, tissue damage, and immune responses, suggesting that breathing in airborne microplastics may pose real risks to respiratory health.

2025
Article Tier 2

Effects of secondary microplastic on the respiratory system of BALB/c mice

Researchers exposed BALB/c mice to secondary microplastics derived from environmentally weathered plastic and assessed respiratory system effects. Secondary MPs caused greater pulmonary inflammation and oxidative stress than virgin particles, suggesting that real-world aged plastics carry higher respiratory toxicity risks than pristine particles used in most laboratory studies.

2025
Article Tier 2

Investigation of Pulmonary Inflammatory Responses Following Intratracheal instillation of and Inhalation exposure to Polypropylene Microplastics

Researchers conducted short-term pulmonary toxicity studies by exposing mice to polypropylene microplastics via intratracheal instillation and inhalation, finding dose-dependent inflammatory responses in lung tissue that confirm inhalation as a significant exposure route of concern.

2024 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Size-Dependent Pulmonary Toxicity and Whole-Body Distribution of Inhaled Micro/Nanoplastic Particles in Male Mice from Chronic Exposure

Researchers exposed mice to airborne micro- and nanoplastic particles through normal breathing over an extended period and found the highest accumulation in the lungs, followed by the blood and spleen. Surprisingly, the larger 1-micrometer microplastics caused more severe lung damage than the smaller 80-nanometer particles, triggering inflammation, cell death, and scarring. These findings highlight that breathing in airborne plastic particles poses real health risks, with particle size playing an important role in the type of damage caused.

2025 Environmental Science & Technology 21 citations
Article Tier 2

Respiratory Toxicity of Microplastics: Mechanisms, Clinical Outcomes, and Future Threats

This review summarized the respiratory toxicity of airborne microplastics, covering their sources, the routes by which they penetrate deep into lung tissue, and the range of clinical outcomes from chronic inflammation to potential malignancy. The authors warn that inhalation exposure represents an underappreciated and growing public health threat.

2025 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Size-Dependent PulmonaryToxicity and Whole-Body Distributionof Inhaled Micro/Nanoplastic Particles in Male Mice from Chronic Exposure

Researchers used a whole-body inhalation exposure system to chronically expose male mice to polystyrene micro- and nanoplastics at environmental concentrations and tracked particle distribution and lung toxicity. Nanoplastics (80 nm) showed greater tissue transport than microplastics (1 µm), with highest accumulation in lungs followed by blood and spleen, and both sizes disrupted oxidative balance and antioxidant defenses.

2025 Figshare
Article Tier 2

Detrimental effects of microplastic exposure on normal and asthmatic pulmonary physiology

Researchers exposed both healthy and asthmatic mice to airborne microplastics and found significant lung inflammation, immune activation, and increased mucus production in both groups. Microplastic particles were taken up by immune cells called macrophages, and gene analysis revealed changes in immune response, cellular stress, and cell death pathways. The study suggests that inhaling microplastics may worsen respiratory health in both normal and vulnerable populations.

2021 Journal of Hazardous Materials 207 citations
Article Tier 2

Pulmonary accumulation and immune modulation by intravenously administered environmentally relevant microplastics in mice

Researchers intravenously administered environmentally relevant oxidized polyethylene microplastics to mice and tracked their distribution using fluorescent labeling. The particles primarily accumulated in the lungs and induced inflammatory cell infiltration, demonstrating that microplastics entering the bloodstream can concentrate in pulmonary tissue and trigger immune responses.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Toxicity Study and Quantitative Evaluation of Polyethylene Microplastics in ICR Mice

Researchers fed polyethylene microplastics to mice over 28 days to study their toxicity, and used Raman spectroscopy to track where the particles ended up. They detected microplastics in the lungs, stomach, intestines, and blood serum, with repeated oral exposure leading to inflammation in lung tissue. The findings provide evidence that ingested microplastics can travel beyond the gut and accumulate in other organs.

2022 Polymers 84 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

Distribution and toxicity of submicron plastic particles in mice

Researchers found that orally administered submicron-sized microplastics distributed to multiple organs and biofluids in mice over four weeks, causing oxidative stress and inflammation in tissues including the liver, kidneys, and gut.

2022 Environmental Toxicology and Pharmacology 31 citations
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

Evaluation of Liver Toxicity of Neonates Following Intragastric Administration or Intratracheal Instillation of Polyethylene Microplatics to Pregnant Mice

Researchers found that pregnant mice exposed to polyethylene microplastics via oral ingestion or inhalation passed particles to offspring, causing oxidative stress and inflammation in neonatal livers, with inhalation exposure producing more severe effects than oral exposure.

2022 Korean Journal of Environmental Health Sciences 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Investigation of pulmonary inflammatory responses following intratracheal instillation of and inhalation exposure to polypropylene microplastics

Rats exposed to polypropylene microplastics through both inhalation and direct lung delivery developed inflammatory responses in their lungs, including increased immune cells and tissue changes. Even at relatively low concentrations, the microplastics triggered pulmonary inflammation, supporting concerns that breathing in airborne microplastics could contribute to respiratory health problems in humans.

2024 Particle and Fibre Toxicology 25 citations
Article Tier 2

Pulmonary toxicity of polymethyl methacrylate nanoplastics via intratracheal intubation in mice

Researchers exposed mice to polymethyl methacrylate nanoplastics through inhalation over 28 days to study their lung effects. The exposed mice experienced weight loss, nanoplastic accumulation in the lungs, increased inflammatory cell counts, and elevated inflammatory cytokines. The findings demonstrate that inhaling these common nanoplastics can induce lung inflammation, tissue damage, and changes in protein and RNA expression.

2026 Scientific Reports
Article Tier 2

Pulmonary Toxicity of Polystyrene, Polypropylene, and Polyvinyl Chloride Microplastics in Mice

Researchers tested the lung toxicity of three common microplastic types (polystyrene, polypropylene, and polyvinyl chloride) in mice and found that all three caused pulmonary inflammation, but through different mechanisms. Polyvinyl chloride produced the most severe inflammatory response, while polystyrene and polypropylene showed distinct patterns of immune activation. The study suggests that the type of plastic inhaled matters for understanding respiratory health risks from airborne microplastics.

2022 Molecules 84 citations
Article Tier 2

Impact of Microplastic Exposure on Airway Inflammation in an Acute Asthma Murine Model

Mouse experiments found that microplastic exposure worsened inflammatory responses in healthy lungs but did not further aggravate airway inflammation in mice with pre-existing asthma, suggesting the lung's response to microplastics depends on baseline immune state.

2025 Tuberculosis & respiratory diseases
Article Tier 2

Respiratory Toxicity of Microplastics: Mechanisms, Clinical Outcomes, and Future Threats

This review examined the mechanisms by which inhaled airborne microplastics cause respiratory harm, including inflammation, oxidative stress, fibrosis, and impaired mucociliary clearance. The authors also discuss emerging evidence linking microplastic inhalation to worsening asthma, COPD, and potentially lung cancer.

2025 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Chronic lung tissue deposition of inhaled polyethylene microplastics may lead to fibrotic lesions

In a mouse study, inhaled polyethylene microplastics accumulated in lung tissue over 90 days of repeated exposure, causing chronic inflammation, immune changes, and early signs of lung scarring (fibrosis). Even at the lowest doses, the microplastics triggered inflammatory cell buildup and thickening of lung walls. These findings suggest that long-term breathing of airborne microplastics could lead to permanent lung damage, which is concerning given rising levels of plastic particles in indoor and outdoor air.

2025 Toxicology Reports 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Inhalation of Microplastics Induces Inflammatory Injuries in Multiple Murine Organs via the Toll-like Receptor Pathway

After mice inhaled polystyrene microplastics, the particles spread to the brain, liver, kidneys, spleen, and other organs within days, triggering widespread inflammation through a specific immune signaling pathway called TLR/NF-kB. These findings suggest that breathing in microplastics could cause inflammatory damage across multiple organ systems in the body.

2024 Environmental Science & Technology 40 citations
Article Tier 2

In Vivo Toxicity and Pharmacokinetics of Polytetrafluoroethylene Microplastics in ICR Mice

Researchers investigated the in vivo toxicity and pharmacokinetics of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) microplastics in mice, finding that these particles accumulated in organs and caused dose-dependent inflammatory responses and oxidative stress.

2022 Polymers 29 citations
Review Tier 2

Airborne microplastics and their impact on human health: A critical review

This review analyzes the growing body of research on microplastics floating in indoor and outdoor air and their potential effects on human health. Evidence indicates that inhaled microplastics can trigger inflammatory responses and cellular damage in the lungs, liver, and reproductive system, and may carry toxic additives deeper into the body. The authors call for more interdisciplinary research to understand the long-term health implications of breathing in these tiny plastic particles.

2025 Journal of Environmental Sciences 3 citations
Article Tier 2

In Vivo Tissue Distribution of Microplastics and the Systemic Metabolic Changes After Gastrointestinal Exposure in Mice

Mice exposed to microplastics via the gastrointestinal route showed systemic distribution of particles to multiple organs and measurable changes in metabolic pathways, providing early in vivo evidence of systemic impacts from plastic ingestion.

2024 Physiology 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Organ-specific accumulation and toxicity analysis of orally administered polyethylene terephthalate microplastics

When mice were fed tiny PET plastic particles (the kind found in water bottles and food containers), the particles accumulated mainly in the lungs and caused inflammatory damage at higher doses. The study found that male mice were more sensitive than females, and the results highlight that microplastics swallowed through food and drink can travel to and harm organs beyond the digestive system.

2025 Scientific Reports 14 citations