Papers

20 results
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Article Tier 2

Europium-labelled nanopolystyrene as model nanoplastics for environmental fate investigations: Synthesis and optimisation

Researchers developed a method to track nanoplastics in the environment by embedding the rare-earth element europium into polystyrene nanoparticles, enabling precise detection using single-particle mass spectrometry even at very low concentrations. The europium label stayed locked inside the particles for over a week in both fresh and salt water, making this a reliable tool for studying how nanoplastics move and persist in ecosystems.

2025 Polymer Testing
Article Tier 2

From the synthesis of labeled nanoplastic model materials (isotopic and metallic) to their use in ecotoxicological studies with the detection and quantification analytical methods.

This study developed labeled nanoplastic model materials using isotopic and metallic tracers to enable tracking and quantification of nanoplastics in complex biological and environmental matrices at environmentally relevant concentrations. Labeled particles allowed localization and measurement of nanoplastics at levels not detectable by conventional methods, advancing mechanistic exposure studies.

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

Synthesis of metal-doped nanoplastics and their utility to investigate fate and behaviour in complex environmental systems

Researchers developed a method to synthesize metal-doped nanoplastics that use an entrapped metal tracer for easy detection in complex environmental systems, demonstrating in wastewater treatment simulations that over 98% of nanoplastics associate with sewage sludge — providing a robust tool for studying nanoplastic fate and transport in real-world environments.

2019 Nature Nanotechnology 311 citations
Article Tier 2

Quantitative Tracking of Nanoplastic Uptake and Distributionin Zebrafish by Single-Particle Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry

Researchers developed a framework using europium-doped polystyrene nanoplastics as tracers, combined with single-particle inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, to quantitatively track nanoplastic uptake and distribution in zebrafish at the single-particle level. This method enabled real-time, size-resolved tracking of nanoplastics accumulating in different fish organs over time.

2025 Figshare
Article Tier 2

Distribution, bioaccumulation, and trophic transfer of palladium-doped nanoplastics in a constructed freshwater ecosystem

Researchers used palladium-doped nanoplastics as tracers in a constructed freshwater ecosystem to quantitatively track distribution, bioaccumulation, and trophic transfer, finding that nanoplastics move through multiple trophic levels and accumulate in organisms.

2022 Environmental Science Nano 25 citations
Article Tier 2

From the synthesis of labeled nanoplastic model materials (isotopic and metallic) to their use in ecotoxicological studies with the detection and quantification analytical methods.

Researchers synthesized isotopically and metallically labeled nanoplastic model materials to enable tracking and quantification of plastic nanoparticles in complex biological and environmental matrices at trace concentrations. The labeled models supported mechanistic studies of nanoplastic fate and exposure by allowing detection at environmentally relevant concentrations not achievable with conventional unlabeled particles.

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

Tracking of realistic nanoplastics in complicated matrices by iridium element labeling and inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy

Researchers developed a protocol to track realistic nanoplastics in environmental and biological samples by labeling them with an iridium-containing agent and detecting them via inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy, demonstrating stable tracking across complex matrices.

2021 Journal of Hazardous Materials 31 citations
Article Tier 2

Biodistribution of europium-doped polystyrene nanoplastics in a model invertebrate organism

This study used europium-doped polystyrene nanoplastics tracked by laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry to map biodistribution of plastic nanoparticles in a model invertebrate organism. The labeled tracer approach enabled precise organ-level mapping of nanoplastic distribution, revealing where plastic nanoparticles accumulate after exposure.

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

Development and Application of Nanoparticle-Nanopolymer Composite Spheres for the Study of Environmental Processes

This study developed labeled synthetic nanoplastic particles with built-in chemical, isotopic, or fluorescent tracers to allow precise tracking of plastic particle fate and behavior in complex environmental and biological samples. These standardized tracer particles address a key bottleneck in microplastic research by enabling more sensitive and selective detection in real-world matrices.

2021 Frontiers in Toxicology 15 citations
Article Tier 2

Core–Shell Au@Nanoplastics as a Quantitative Tracer to Investigate the Bioaccumulation of Nanoplastics in Freshwater Ecosystems

Researchers developed a novel gold-core/polystyrene-shell nanoparticle tracer that mimics nanoplastic behavior in freshwater but can be detected and quantified far more precisely using the gold core's chemical signature. Using this tracer in artificial freshwater mesocosms, they tracked how nanoplastics distribute across water, sediment, and organisms — providing a powerful new tool to study nanoplastic fate and bioaccumulation.

2023 Analytical Chemistry 9 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene nanoplastics demonstrate high structural stability in vivo: A comparative study with silica nanoparticles via SERS tag labeling

Researchers developed a SERS tag labeling technique to track polystyrene nanoplastics in vivo, finding that nanoplastics demonstrate remarkably high structural stability in organisms compared to silica nanoparticles, which degraded more readily.

2022 Chemosphere 28 citations
Article Tier 2

MassBalance Tracing of In Vivo Biodistribution,Relocation, and Excretion of Europium-Doped Micro/Nanoplastics inRats

This rat study used europium-labeled micro- and nanoplastics to track particle distribution in the body after intravenous administration, finding that most accumulated in the liver and spleen with very little reaching the brain or heart. The results suggest that standard biological filtration processes govern microplastic distribution following classical size-dependent rules.

Figshare
Article Tier 2

Fluorescent plastic nanoparticles to track their interaction and fate in physiological environments

This study developed fluorescently labeled plastic nanoparticles made from PET, polypropylene, and polystyrene that can be tracked in biological environments to study how nanoplastics are taken up and processed by living organisms. Having trackable model nanoplastics is an important tool for understanding how these particles move through tissues and food chains.

2020 Environmental Science Nano 38 citations
Article Tier 2

Quantification of poly(ethylene terephthalate) micro- and nanoparticle contaminants in marine sediments and other environmental matrices

Researchers developed and validated a method to quantify PET (polyethylene terephthalate) micro- and nanoparticles in marine sediments and other environmental matrices using chemical digestion and fluorescence detection. This polymer-specific quantification approach addresses a gap in methods for tracking one of the world's most widely used plastics in the environment.

2019 Journal of Hazardous Materials 65 citations
Article Tier 2

Development of Rare-earth-Copolymerized Polystyrene Particles for Traceable Microplastic Quantification and Imaging in Environmental and Biological Systems

Researchers developed a method to permanently embed rare-earth elements into polystyrene microplastic and nanoplastic particles, creating traceable reference materials that stay stable in environmental, gut, and neural conditions — enabling more accurate tracking and quantification of microplastics as they move through ecosystems and living organisms.

2026
Article Tier 2

Challenges in assessing ecological and health risks of microplastics and nanoplastics: tracking their dynamics in living organisms

Researchers proposed a new method for tracking micro- and nanoplastics in living organisms using fluorescent monomers built directly into the plastic particles during synthesis. Current detection methods require destructive sampling and only provide static snapshots, missing the real-time movement of particles through biological systems. This fluorescent monomer approach is designed to enable continuous, stable imaging of plastic particles as they move through complex biological environments.

2026 New Contaminants
Article Tier 2

Biodistribution of europium-doped polystyrene nanoplastics in a model invertebrate organism

This study tracked the biodistribution of europium-labeled polystyrene nanoplastics in a model invertebrate using laser ablation ICP-MS, overcoming the analytical challenge of distinguishing nanoplastics from surrounding biological material in tissues. Organ-specific accumulation patterns were mapped, providing mechanistic data on nanoplastic fate after uptake in a small animal model.

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

Microplastic accumulation, depuration dynamics and localization in environmental compartments: combination of experimental set ups and field studies

Researchers tracked microplastic accumulation and depuration in multiple environmental compartments and marine organisms using controlled microcosm experiments. The study found that particles distribute differently across sediment, water, and biota, and that biological depuration is incomplete within realistic timeframes.

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

Radiolabeling of Micro-/Nanoplastics via In-Diffusion

Researchers developed a radiolabeling method for micro- and nanoplastics by introducing a 64Cu radiotracer into common plastics including polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, and others via an in-diffusion technique. The approach provides a sensitive and selective detection strategy for tracking plastic particles in complex ecological media, addressing a key challenge in environmental impact research.

2023 Nanomaterials 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Biodistribution of nanoplastics in mice: advancing analytical techniques using metal-doped plastics

Researchers developed a new analytical method using palladium-doped nanoplastics to track where plastic particles go in the body after ingestion in mice. They found that after short-term exposure, most particles passed through the digestive system and were excreted, but longer-term exposure led to accumulation in body tissues. The study advances the ability to detect and trace nanoplastics at extremely small concentrations in biological samples.

2025 Communications Biology 3 citations