Papers

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Article Tier 2

Could probiotics protect against human toxicity caused by polystyrene nanoplastics and microplastics?

This review examines whether probiotics could help protect against the harmful effects of polystyrene nanoplastics and microplastics in the body. Researchers found evidence that probiotic bacteria may counteract plastic-induced gut imbalances, reduce inflammation, and support intestinal barrier function. The study suggests that probiotics represent a promising area of research for mitigating some of the biological effects of microplastic exposure, though more human studies are needed.

2023 Frontiers in Nutrition 24 citations
Article Tier 2

Effect of polystyrene nanoplastics on the intestinal histopathology, oxidative stress, and microbiota of Acrossocheilus yunnanensis

Researchers studied the effects of polystyrene nanoplastics on the intestinal health of a freshwater fish species and found significant damage to the gut lining, including ruptured tissue and damaged nutrient-absorbing structures. The nanoplastics also increased oxidative stress markers and shifted the composition of gut bacteria, reducing beneficial species. The findings suggest that nanoplastic exposure can compromise both the physical barrier and microbial balance of fish intestines.

2025 Aquatic Toxicology 2 citations
Article Tier 2

The effect of a polystyrene nanoplastic on the intestinal microbes and oxidative stress defense of the freshwater crayfish, Procambarus clarkii

Researchers tested the acute effects of polystyrene nanoplastics on freshwater crayfish and found that exposure altered the composition of intestinal bacteria and disrupted oxidative stress defenses. Higher concentrations of nanoplastics led to more severe changes in gut microbial diversity and antioxidant enzyme activity. The study adds to growing evidence that nanoplastic pollution can harm the gut health and immune defenses of freshwater organisms.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 84 citations
Article Tier 2

Impacts of polystyrene nanoplastics on zebrafish gut microbiota and mechanistic insights

Zebrafish exposed to polystyrene nanoplastics showed significant changes in their gut bacteria, with beneficial species like Bifidobacterium declining and potentially harmful bacteria increasing. The nanoplastics physically entered intestinal tissues, causing visible damage to gut cells. This study is relevant to human health because our gut microbiome plays a key role in immunity and digestion, and similar disruption from nanoplastic exposure could contribute to digestive and immune problems.

2025 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 9 citations
Article Tier 2

Concurrent impacts of polystyrene nanoplastic exposure and Aeromonas hydrophila infection on oxidative stress, immune response and intestinal microbiota of grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella)

Researchers studied the combined effects of polystyrene nanoplastics and a bacterial infection on grass carp, a common freshwater fish. They found that nanoplastic exposure worsened the impact of the infection by increasing oxidative stress, suppressing immune responses, and disrupting the gut microbiome. The study suggests that nanoplastic pollution in waterways could make fish more vulnerable to disease by weakening their natural defenses.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 28 citations
Article Tier 2

Lactic acid bacteria reduce polystyrene micro- and nanoplastics-induced toxicity through their bio-binding capacity and gut environment repair ability

Researchers found that lactic acid bacteria, the kind used in yogurt and fermented foods, can reduce the toxic effects of polystyrene micro and nanoplastics in mice. The bacteria worked by physically binding to the plastic particles and by repairing damage to the gut lining and restoring healthy gut bacteria populations. This suggests that probiotics could be a practical way to help protect the digestive system from the harmful effects of microplastic exposure through food and water.

2024 Environmental Pollution 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene and polytetrafluoroethylene nanoplastics affect probiotic bacterial characteristics and penetrate their cellular membrane

This study found that polystyrene and PTFE nanoplastics damage the membranes and viability of probiotic bacteria in ways that differ by particle surface chemistry and bacterial strain. Since gut microbiome stability depends on these beneficial bacteria, this research suggests that nanoplastic ingestion could undermine the health benefits of probiotics and more broadly disrupt the gut microbial community.

2026 Environmental Science Nano
Article Tier 2

The Effects of Probiotics on the Recovery of Growth, Digestive, Antioxidant, Immune Functions, and Gut Microbiota of Chinese Hooksnout Carp (Opsariichthys bidens) Under Microplastic Stress

Researchers exposed juvenile Chinese hooksnout carp to polystyrene microplastics for seven days, then administered Bacillus coagulans probiotics at three doses for 56 days and found that medium and high probiotic doses significantly improved growth, digestive enzyme activity, antioxidant function, and gut microbiota recovery.

2025 Fishes
Article Tier 2

Adverse effects of polystyrene microplastics in the freshwater commercial fish, grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella): Emphasis on physiological response and intestinal microbiome

Researchers exposed grass carp to different sizes and concentrations of polystyrene microplastics for up to 14 days, followed by a depuration period, and assessed physiological and intestinal microbiome effects. The study found that microplastics caused histological damage, oxidative stress, and shifts in gut microbial communities, with smaller particles and higher concentrations producing more severe effects.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 70 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene nanoplastics affect digestive function and growth in juvenile groupers

Researchers found that polystyrene nanoplastics accumulated in the liver and intestines of juvenile grouper fish, reducing digestive enzyme activity and impairing growth. The nanoplastics also decreased intestinal microbial diversity while increasing the abundance of harmful bacteria such as Vibrio. The study suggests that nanoplastic exposure can significantly compromise digestive function and overall health in marine fish during early development.

2021 The Science of The Total Environment 57 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene nanoplastics disrupt the intestinal microenvironment by altering bacteria-host interactions through extracellular vesicle-delivered microRNAs

Researchers found that polystyrene nanoplastics disrupt the gut lining in mice by altering tiny RNA molecules that control the production of protective proteins in the intestinal barrier. The nanoplastics also caused an imbalance in gut bacteria, creating a chain reaction where damaged gut cells release particles that further weaken the intestinal barrier and change the microbiome.

2025 Nature Communications 34 citations
Article Tier 2

Probiotics ameliorate polyethylene microplastics-induced liver injury by inhibition of oxidative stress in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus)

Researchers investigated whether probiotics could protect Nile tilapia from liver damage caused by polystyrene microplastics. The study found that fish pre-fed with probiotics showed significantly reduced oxidative stress markers in the liver compared to those exposed to microplastics alone, suggesting that probiotics may help mitigate microplastic-induced hepatic oxidative damage in fish.

2022 Fish & Shellfish Immunology 56 citations
Article Tier 2

Impacts of polystyrene microplastic on the gut barrier, microbiota and metabolism of mice

Researchers exposed mice to polystyrene microplastics for six weeks and found that the particles accumulated in the gut, reduced protective mucus secretion, and damaged the intestinal barrier. The microplastics also significantly altered the composition of gut bacteria, decreasing beneficial species and increasing harmful ones. The study suggests that microplastic ingestion could disrupt gut health in mammals by simultaneously impairing the physical barrier and reshaping the microbiome.

2018 The Science of The Total Environment 986 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene microplastics induce endoplasmic reticulum stress, apoptosis and inflammation by disrupting the gut microbiota in carp intestines

Researchers fed carp polystyrene microplastics and found that the particles disrupted their gut bacteria, killing off beneficial species and promoting those linked to diseases. The microplastics triggered a stress response in intestinal cells that led to inflammation, cell death, and tissue damage. Since carp is a widely eaten fish, these gut health effects raise questions about how microplastics in aquatic environments could affect the safety of fish that humans consume.

2023 Environmental Pollution 94 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene microplastics interaction and influence on the growth kinetics and metabolism of tilapia gut probiotic Bacillus tropicus ACS1

Polystyrene microplastics were found to alter the gut microbiome of tilapia, disrupting the growth kinetics and metabolism of probiotic bacteria, with potential implications for fish health and aquaculture productivity.

2023 Environmental Science Processes & Impacts 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Lactiplantibacillus plantarum ZP-6 mitigates polystyrene nanoplastics-induced liver damage in colitis mice via the gut-liver axis

The probiotic strain Lactiplantibacillus plantarum ZP-6 mitigated polystyrene nanoplastic-induced liver injury in an animal model through multiple mechanisms including toxin binding, barrier enhancement, and anti-inflammatory activity, suggesting probiotics as a potential strategy for reducing nanoplastic health impacts.

2025 Frontiers in Microbiology
Article Tier 2

Probiotics improve polystyrene microplastics-induced male reproductive toxicity in mice by alleviating inflammatory response

Researchers found that giving mice probiotics (beneficial bacteria including Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium) helped protect against reproductive damage caused by polystyrene microplastics. The microplastics disrupted gut bacteria and triggered inflammation that traveled to the testes via the gut-testis connection, reducing sperm quality and testosterone levels. Probiotic treatment restored healthy gut bacteria and reduced the inflammatory response, suggesting that maintaining gut health could help counteract some reproductive harm from microplastic exposure.

2023 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 65 citations
Article Tier 2

Toxic effects of long-term polystyrene microplastic exposure on gut microbiota, antioxidant capacity, and digestive enzyme activities in Thamnaconus septentrionalis

Researchers exposed filefish (Thamnaconus septentrionalis) to 1 and 5 µm polystyrene microplastics for 30 days and examined gut microbiota, antioxidant capacity, and digestive enzymes. Both particle sizes disrupted gut microbial diversity and reduced antioxidant defenses, with smaller particles generally causing more pronounced effects.

2025 Israeli Journal of Aquaculture - Bamidgeh
Article Tier 2

The probiotic SLAB51 as agent to counteract BPA toxicity on zebrafish gut microbiota -liver-brain axis

Researchers tested whether the probiotic supplement SLAB51 could counteract the harmful effects of bisphenol A (BPA), a plastic-derived chemical, in zebrafish and found it significantly restored healthy gut bacteria, reduced liver damage, and protected the brain — suggesting probiotics may help offset harm from plastic-associated chemical exposure.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 21 citations
Article Tier 2

Gut microbiota and liver metabolomics reveal the potential mechanism of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG modulating the liver toxicity caused by polystyrene microplastics in mice

Researchers found that the probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG helped protect mice from liver damage caused by polystyrene microplastic exposure. The probiotic worked by restoring healthy gut bacteria and normalizing liver metabolic pathways disrupted by the microplastics. The study suggests that supporting gut health through beneficial bacteria may help mitigate some of the toxic effects microplastics have on the liver.

2023 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 25 citations
Article Tier 2

The toxicity of polystyrene micro- and nano-plastics on rare minnow (Gobiocypris rarus) varies with the particle size and concentration

Scientists exposed rare minnow fish to polystyrene microplastics and nanoplastics at different sizes and concentrations and found that both caused growth inhibition, tissue damage, and disrupted gut bacteria. Interestingly, larger microplastics at high concentrations were the most disruptive to gut microbiome communities, while nanoplastics caused more oxidative stress. The study shows that the health effects of plastic particles depend on both their size and amount, and that gut health is a key target of microplastic toxicity.

2024 Aquatic Toxicology 14 citations
Systematic Review Tier 1

Probiotics as Modulators of Microplastic-induced Toxicity: A Systematic Review

This systematic review found that probiotics can reduce microplastic-induced toxicity in animal models by restoring gut microbiota balance, reducing oxidative stress, and modulating inflammatory responses. The findings suggest that probiotic supplementation may help mitigate the harmful effects of unavoidable microplastic exposure, though human clinical trials are still needed.

2025 Probiotics and Antimicrobial Proteins
Article Tier 2

Nanoplastics impair the intestinal health of the juvenile large yellow croaker Larimichthys crocea

Researchers exposed juvenile large yellow croaker fish to nano-sized polystyrene particles to assess impacts on intestinal health and growth. The study found that nanoplastics accumulated in the fish and caused disorders in digestion, antioxidant defenses, immune function, and intestinal microflora, indicating that nanoplastics can significantly impair gut health in commercially important marine fish species.

2020 Journal of Hazardous Materials 190 citations
Article Tier 2

Multi-Species Probiotics as Sustainable Strategy to Alleviate Polyamide Microplastic-Induced Stress in Nile Tilapia

Researchers tested whether multi-species probiotics could counteract the toxic effects of polyamide microplastics in Nile tilapia over a six-week experiment. The study found that probiotic supplementation alleviated microplastic-induced stress by improving growth performance, immune response, and physiological health markers, suggesting that probiotics may be a sustainable strategy for protecting farmed fish from microplastic contamination.

2025 Sustainability 1 citations