Papers

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Article Tier 2

The nephrotoxic potential of polystyrene microplastics at realistic environmental concentrations

Researchers tested polystyrene microplastics on human kidney cells at concentrations reflecting real-world environmental levels. They found that the particles attached to and were engulfed by the cells, triggering oxidative stress and inflammatory responses that reduced cell survival. The findings suggest that even realistic low-level microplastic exposure may pose risks to kidney health.

2021 Journal of Hazardous Materials 119 citations
Article Tier 2

Adverse effect of polystyrene microplastics (PS-MPs) on tube formation and viability of human umbilical vein endothelial cells

Researchers tested the effects of polystyrene microplastics on human blood vessel cells grown in the laboratory and found that the particles reduced cell survival and inhibited the formation of new blood vessel structures. Smaller microplastics accumulated inside the cells more readily and triggered cell death through autophagy and necrosis. The study suggests that microplastics entering the bloodstream could potentially interfere with normal vascular function.

2021 Food and Chemical Toxicology 131 citations
Article Tier 2

Toxicity of polystyrene nanoplastics to human embryonic kidney cells and human normal liver cells: Effect of particle size and Pb2+ enrichment

Researchers tested polystyrene nanoplastics on human kidney and liver cells and found that particles smaller than 100 nanometers caused significant cell death, with kidney cells being more vulnerable. When nanoplastics carried lead contamination from water, their toxicity increased further. The study suggests that while nanoplastics alone in drinking water may pose limited risk, their ability to concentrate heavy metals is a serious concern.

2023 Chemosphere 43 citations
Article Tier 2

Evaluation of toxicity of polystyrene microplastics under realistic exposure levels in human vascular endothelial EA.hy926 cells

Researchers exposed human vascular endothelial cells to polystyrene microplastics at concentrations comparable to levels detected in human blood. They found that the microplastics caused oxidative stress, reduced antioxidant defenses, and triggered apoptosis in the vascular cells. The study suggests that microplastics circulating in the bloodstream at realistic concentrations may contribute to vascular damage by impairing cellular protective mechanisms.

2022 Chemosphere 51 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of Polystyrene Microplastics on Human Kidney and Liver Cell Morphology, Cellular Proliferation, and Metabolism

Researchers exposed human kidney and liver cells to polystyrene microplastics of different sizes and concentrations to assess their effects on cell health. They found that microplastics altered cell shape, reduced proliferation, and disrupted cellular metabolism, with smaller particles generally causing more damage. The findings suggest that microplastics reaching internal organs could have measurable effects at the cellular level.

2022 ACS Omega 183 citations
Article Tier 2

Nanoplastic effects on human vascular endothelial cells: A comparison of primary cells (HUVEC) and immortalized cells (hy926) after exposure to polystyrene nanoplastics

Researchers compared the effects of polystyrene nanoplastics on primary human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) and immortalized endothelial cells (hy926) to understand how vascular endothelium responds after nanoplastics cross the epithelial barrier. The study assessed oxidative stress and ROS generation to characterize how cell line type influences nanoplastic toxicity responses.

2022 The FASEB Journal 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Nanoplastic toxicity and uptake in kidney cells: differential effects of concentration, particle size, and polymer type

Researchers exposed human kidney proximal tubule cells to nanoplastics of different polymer types, sizes, and concentrations to assess short-term toxic effects. They found that polystyrene and PMMA nanoparticles were readily internalized by kidney cells and caused concentration-dependent reductions in cell viability and changes in cell cycle distribution. The study suggests that nanoplastics can directly affect kidney cell function, with toxicity varying by polymer type and particle size.

2026 Cell Biology and Toxicology
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene nanoplastics induce apoptosis of human kidney proximal tubular epithelial cells via oxidative stress and MAPK signaling pathways

Researchers found that polystyrene nanoplastics cause programmed cell death in human kidney tubular cells through oxidative stress and activation of the MAPK signaling pathway. The toxic effects were dependent on both the size and dose of the nanoplastics, with smaller particles causing more damage. The study identifies specific molecular mechanisms by which nanoplastics may contribute to kidney cell injury.

2023 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 24 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene nanoparticles induce DNA damage and apoptosis in HeLa cells

Researchers exposed human HeLa cells to polystyrene nanoplastics — particles smaller than 100 nm — and found that even short exposures at low concentrations caused DNA damage, abnormal cell division, and signs of cell death including apoptosis and necrosis. The results suggest nanoplastics can directly damage human cell DNA, raising concerns about the health implications of everyday nanoplastic exposure.

2024 Heliyon 9 citations
Article Tier 2

Toxic effects of polystyrene nanoplastics on MDA-MB-231 breast cancer and HFF-2 normal fibroblast cells: viability, cell death, cell cycle and antioxidant enzyme activity

Researchers exposed human breast cancer cells and normal skin cells to polystyrene nanoplastics and found that smaller particles at higher concentrations caused significant cell death through apoptosis (programmed cell death) and reduced the cells' ability to defend against oxidative damage. The dose- and size-dependent toxicity suggests that nanoplastics small enough to enter cells are more biologically harmful than larger particles.

2025 Environmental Sciences Europe 12 citations
Article Tier 2

The Kidney-Related Effects of Polystyrene Microplastics on Human Kidney Proximal Tubular Epithelial Cells HK-2 and Male C57BL/6 Mice

This study found that polystyrene microplastics caused damage to human kidney cells in the lab and accumulated in the kidneys of mice. The microplastics triggered mitochondrial dysfunction, inflammation, and a cellular stress response called autophagy in kidney tissue. These results suggest that long-term microplastic exposure could be a risk factor for kidney disease.

2021 Environmental Health Perspectives 326 citations
Article Tier 2

Genotoxic and cytotoxic effects of polystyrene nanoplastics on human lymphocytes: A comprehensive analysis

Researchers tested the effects of 50-nanometer polystyrene nanoplastics on human white blood cells in the laboratory. They found that even at low concentrations, the nanoplastics caused DNA damage, reduced cell viability, and triggered oxidative stress. The study provides evidence that nanoplastic particles small enough to enter the bloodstream could pose risks to human immune cell health.

2025 Mutation Research/Genetic Toxicology and Environmental Mutagenesis 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Molecular effects of polystyrene nanoplastics on human neural stem cells

Researchers exposed human brain stem cells to tiny polystyrene nanoplastics and found they caused oxidative stress, DNA damage, inflammation, and cell death. These findings suggest that nanoplastics could potentially harm brain development if they reach neural tissue, though more research is needed to understand real-world exposure levels.

2024 PLoS ONE 28 citations
Article Tier 2

Hazard assessment of different-sized polystyrene nanoplastics in hematopoietic human cell lines

Researchers tested how different sizes of polystyrene nanoplastics (50, 200, and 500 nm) affect human blood cell lines. While none of the sizes caused direct cell death, all three were taken up by cells and disrupted mitochondrial function in immune-related cell types. The study suggests that even without killing cells outright, nanoplastics may interfere with important cellular energy processes, with effects varying by particle size and cell type.

2023 Chemosphere 42 citations
Article Tier 2

Amino-Functionalized Polystyrene Nano-Plastics Induce Mitochondria Damage in Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells

Researchers found that amino-functionalized polystyrene nanoplastics can damage mitochondria in human umbilical vein endothelial cells, which line blood vessels. The study suggests that nanoplastics small enough to enter the body through the food chain may pose risks to the cardiovascular system by disrupting cellular energy production and triggering oxidative stress in vascular cells.

2022 Toxics 63 citations
Article Tier 2

Nanoplastic toxicity and uptake in kidney cells: differential effects of concentration, particle size, and polymer type

Human proximal tubule kidney cells were exposed to carboxylated polystyrene and PMMA nanoplastics of different sizes for 24 hours, revealing that cytotoxicity, cellular uptake, and oxidative stress were strongly dependent on particle concentration, size, and polymer type.

2025
Article Tier 2

Oxidative Properties of Polystyrene Nanoparticles with Different Diameters in Human Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells (In Vitro Study)

Researchers exposed human peripheral blood mononuclear cells to polystyrene nanoparticles of different sizes and measured oxidative stress and mitochondrial function, finding that smaller particles induced greater reactive oxygen species production and mitochondrial disruption, with significant cell damage at concentrations relevant to human exposure estimates.

2021 International Journal of Molecular Sciences 37 citations
Article Tier 2

Nanoplastics-induced oxidative stress, antioxidant defense, and physiological response in exposed Wistar albino rats

Researchers orally exposed Wistar rats to polystyrene nanoplastics at multiple doses for five weeks and observed dose-dependent increases in oxidative stress. The study found significant alterations in liver and kidney function markers, disrupted energy metabolism, and changes in antioxidant enzyme activity, suggesting that nanoplastic exposure may affect multiple organ systems in mammals.

2021 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 58 citations
Article Tier 2

The potential toxicity of polystyrene nanoplastics to human trophoblasts in vitro

Researchers used human trophoblast cells to evaluate the potential toxicity of 100-nanometer polystyrene nanoplastics on placental function. The study found that nanoplastic exposure affected trophoblast cell viability and function at certain concentrations, suggesting potential implications for understanding nanoplastic effects during pregnancy.

2022 Environmental Pollution 70 citations
Article Tier 2

Effect of Polystyrene Microplastics on Tube Formation and Viability of Endothelial Cells

Lab experiments found that polystyrene microplastics impaired the ability of human endothelial cells (which line blood vessels) to form tube-like structures and reduced cell viability at higher concentrations. This is early evidence that microplastics entering the bloodstream may damage vascular cells, with potential implications for cardiovascular health.

2021 Current Developments in Nutrition 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene and Polyethylene Microplastics Decrease Cell Viability and Dysregulate Inflammatory and Oxidative Stress Markers of MDCK and L929 Cells In Vitro

Researchers exposed murine fibroblast and canine kidney epithelial cell lines to polystyrene and polyethylene microplastics at various concentrations for up to 24 hours. They observed dose-dependent decreases in cell viability along with dysregulation of inflammatory cytokines and oxidative stress markers. The study suggests that microplastic exposure can trigger inflammatory and oxidative stress responses in mammalian cells at the cellular level.

2021 Exposure and Health 84 citations
Article Tier 2

Internalization and toxicity: A preliminary study of effects of nanoplastic particles on human lung epithelial cell

Researchers studied the effects of polystyrene nanoplastic particles on human lung cells and found that the particles were internalized by the cells and caused dose-dependent toxicity. The nanoplastics triggered oxidative stress, inflammation, and disrupted normal cell function. The findings suggest that inhaling airborne nanoplastics may pose risks to respiratory health.

2019 The Science of The Total Environment 613 citations
Article Tier 2

Exploring the influence of polystyrene-nanoplastics on two distinct in vitro systems in farm animals: A pilot study

Researchers tested the effects of polystyrene nanoplastics on bovine ovarian cells and porcine muscle cells, both from farm animals whose products enter the human food chain. They found that both cell types absorbed the nanoplastics, with higher concentrations reducing cell viability, particularly in muscle cells. The study highlights that nanoplastic contamination in livestock could have implications for both animal health and food safety.

2025 The Science of The Total Environment 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Internalization and cytotoxicity of polystyrene microplastics in human umbilical vein endothelial cells

Researchers investigated the uptake and toxicity of 1-micrometer polystyrene microplastics in human umbilical vein endothelial cells. The study found that interaction between the cells and microplastics was very low, with less than 4% of cells taking up particles even at high concentrations, and no significant inflammation, autophagy, or oxidative stress responses were observed at tested exposure levels.

2022 Journal of Applied Toxicology 42 citations