Papers

61,005 results
|
Article Tier 2

Preliminary Study on the Toxic Effects of Polystyrene Microplastics in Human Colorectal Cells

Researchers evaluated the toxic effects of polystyrene microplastics in two sizes, 80 nanometers and 500 nanometers, on human colorectal cells in laboratory culture. They found that both sizes significantly reduced cell viability, induced cell death, and disrupted the normal cell cycle in a dose-dependent manner. The study provides preliminary evidence that microplastic particles at sizes relevant to human exposure may pose risks to intestinal cell health.

2026 E3S Web of Conferences
Article Tier 2

The potential effects of microplastic pollution on human digestive tract cells

Researchers tested polystyrene particles of four different sizes on human colon and small intestine cells to assess the potential effects of microplastic ingestion. They found that the smallest nanoscale particles were more readily taken up by cells and caused greater reductions in cell viability and increased oxidative stress. The study suggests that smaller plastic particles may pose a greater risk to the human digestive tract than larger ones.

2021 Chemosphere 143 citations
Article Tier 2

The effects of polystyrene microplastics on human intestinal cells health and function

This study examined how polystyrene microplastics affect normal and cancer intestinal cells, addressing a gap left by previous research that used only cancer cell lines and pristine plastics. The work evaluated microplastic toxicity under more realistic conditions including digestive system biotransformation, assessing effects on nutrient uptake and cellular function.

2022 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Pro-Inflammatory and Cytotoxic Effects of Polystyrene Microplastics on Human and Murine Intestinal Cell Lines

Researchers tested the effects of polystyrene microplastics on human and mouse intestinal cell lines. They found that microplastic exposure increased cell death and triggered inflammatory responses, including the release of inflammatory signaling molecules. The study suggests that microplastics may promote inflammation in the gut lining, which could have implications for digestive health.

2023 Biomolecules 53 citations
Article Tier 2

Elucidating the Size‐Dependency of In Vitro Digested Polystyrene Microplastics on Human Intestinal Cells Health and Function

Polystyrene microplastics of different sizes were subjected to simulated in vitro digestion and then applied to human intestinal cells, with smaller particles causing greater disruption to cell health and barrier function than larger ones. The results suggest that the smallest microplastics reaching the human gut pose the greatest risk to intestinal integrity.

2022 Macromolecular Chemistry and Physics 19 citations
Article Tier 2

The Toxic Effects of Polystyrene Microplastics on Colonic Epithelial NCM460 Cells

This study compared the effects of original versus pigment-marked polystyrene microplastics on NCM460 colonic epithelial cells at multiple concentrations, finding that both particle types caused dose-dependent cytotoxicity and that pigments added to facilitate tracking influenced cellular responses.

2025 MEDS Basic Medicine
Article Tier 2

Nanoplastics as a potential environmental health factor: effects of polystyrene nanoparticles on human intestinal epithelial Caco-2 cells

Researchers tested how polystyrene nanoparticles interact with human intestinal cells in the lab. They found that the nanoparticles were readily taken up by the cells in a concentration-dependent manner, but no significant toxic effects were observed under the conditions tested. The study suggests that while nanoplastics can enter gut cells, their short-term toxicity at the tested levels appears limited.

2019 Environmental Science Nano 203 citations
Article Tier 2

Influence of the digestive process on intestinal toxicity of polystyrene microplastics as determined by in vitro Caco-2 models

Researchers studied how the human digestive process transforms polystyrene microplastics and affects their intestinal toxicity using in vitro Caco-2 cell models. The study found that digestion formed a corona on microplastic surfaces without altering their chemical composition, and that smaller particles (100 nm) showed higher toxicity than larger ones (5 micrometers) regardless of digestive treatment.

2020 Chemosphere 135 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of bisphenol A and nanoscale and microscale polystyrene plastic exposure on particle uptake and toxicity in human Caco-2 cells

Researchers studied how human intestinal Caco-2 cells take up polystyrene plastic particles of five different sizes ranging from 300 nanometers to 6 micrometers. The study found that smaller particles were taken up at higher rates and that co-exposure with bisphenol A increased cellular toxicity, suggesting that nanoscale plastics may pose a greater risk to human intestinal cells than larger microplastics.

2020 Chemosphere 267 citations
Article Tier 2

Nano-plastics and gastric health: Decoding the cytotoxic mechanisms of polystyrene nano-plastics size

Researchers examined how different sizes of polystyrene nanoplastics affect human stomach cells in the laboratory. They found that smaller nanoplastics were more readily taken up by the cells and caused greater damage, including increased oxidative stress and reduced cell survival. The study suggests that nanoplastic particle size plays a critical role in determining their potential impact on gastrointestinal health.

2023 Environment International 23 citations
Article Tier 2

Size-dependent toxicity of polystyrene microplastics on the gastrointestinal tract: Oxidative stress related-DNA damage and potential carcinogenicity

Researchers found that polystyrene microplastics accumulate mainly in stomach tissue, where smaller nanoscale particles cause more severe damage than larger ones. The nanoplastics reduced antioxidant enzyme activity, increased DNA damage markers, and activated signaling pathways associated with cancer development. These size-dependent effects on the gastrointestinal tract suggest that the smallest plastic particles may pose the greatest risk to digestive health.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 74 citations
Article Tier 2

Acute and Sub-Chronic Effects of Microplastics (3 and 10 µm) on the Human Intestinal Cells HT-29

Researchers tested the effects of polystyrene microplastics on human intestinal cells over both short-term and extended 48-day exposure periods, simulating real-world chronic exposure. They found that smaller 3-micrometer particles caused more pronounced damage to cell membranes, while larger 10-micrometer particles generated more oxidative stress. The study suggests that prolonged microplastic exposure could contribute to intestinal health issues due to cumulative cell damage over time.

2021 International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 104 citations
Article Tier 2

Size-dependent effects of polystyrene microplastics on cytotoxicity and efflux pump inhibition in human Caco-2 cells

Researchers compared how two sizes of polystyrene microplastics affect human intestinal cells grown in the lab. While both sizes showed low direct toxicity, they disrupted mitochondrial function and inhibited important cellular transport pumps that normally help remove harmful substances from cells. The findings suggest that microplastics in the gut could interfere with how intestinal cells handle drugs and toxins, even at concentrations that do not cause obvious cell damage.

2019 Chemosphere 481 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

Micro-sized polyethylene particles affect cell viability and oxidative stress responses in human colorectal adenocarcinoma Caco-2 and HT-29 cells

Researchers tested the effects of micro-sized polyethylene particles on two types of human colon cancer cells commonly used in gut research. The microplastics reduced cell survival and triggered oxidative stress, which is a type of cellular damage caused by an imbalance of harmful molecules. This study provides evidence that microplastics reaching the human gut through food and water could damage intestinal cells, though more research is needed at real-world exposure levels.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 65 citations
Article Tier 2

Uptake and toxicity of polystyrene micro/nanoplastics in gastric cells: Effects of particle size and surface functionalization

Researchers evaluated the uptake and toxicity of polystyrene micro- and nanoplastics in human gastric cells, comparing different sizes and surface treatments. The study found that smaller 50-nanometer particles were taken up at significantly higher rates, with positively charged aminated particles being the most toxic, causing cytotoxicity at lower concentrations and higher rates of cell death.

2021 PLoS ONE 96 citations
Article Tier 2

Study on the Toxic Effects of Nanoplastics on Colonic Epithelial NCM460 Cells

Polystyrene (PS-100) and amino-functionalized polystyrene (NH2-PS-100) nanoplastics at 100 nm were tested on NCM460 normal human colorectal mucosal cells, finding concentration- and surface-chemistry-dependent cytotoxicity—with amino-functionalized particles showing greater toxicity—contributing to the mechanistic understanding of nanoplastic intestinal cell effects.

2025 MEDS Basic Medicine
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene Microplastics of Varying Sizes and Shapes Induce Distinct Redox and Mitochondrial Stress Responses in a Caco-2 Monolayer

Researchers tested three sizes and shapes of polystyrene microplastics on human intestinal cells and found that all were taken up by the cells, with the smallest particles (200 nm) causing the most pronounced effects on cellular stress responses. The microplastics triggered changes in antioxidant gene expression and mitochondrial activity. The study suggests that the number of particles a cell absorbs, driven largely by particle size, determines the severity of the stress response.

2023 Antioxidants 47 citations
Article Tier 2

Noxic effects of polystyrene microparticles on murine macrophages and epithelial cells

Polystyrene microparticles induced cytotoxic effects in murine macrophages and intestinal epithelial cells at higher concentrations, triggering cell membrane damage, inflammatory cytokine release, and reduced phagocytic function, with smaller particles generally causing greater harm than larger ones at equivalent mass doses.

2021 Scientific Reports 59 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene micro and nano-particles induce metabolic rewiring in normal human colon cells: A risk factor for human health

Researchers exposed normal human colon cells to polystyrene micro and nanoplastic particles and observed significant metabolic changes in the cells. The study found that these plastic particles altered energy metabolism and cellular pathways in ways that could increase vulnerability to disease. These findings raise concerns that routine ingestion of microplastics through contaminated food may affect normal intestinal cell function in humans.

2022 Chemosphere 93 citations
Article Tier 2

Biological effects of polystyrene micro- and nano-plastics on human intestinal organoid-derived epithelial tissue models without and with M cells.

Researchers exposed human intestinal organoid-derived epithelial tissue models with and without M cells to polystyrene micro- and nano-plastics, finding that nano-plastics caused greater disruption of barrier integrity and uptake than micro-plastics, and that M cell-containing models showed enhanced particle translocation compared to standard epithelial models.

2023 Nanomedicine : nanotechnology, biology, and medicine
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

Uptake and effects of orally ingested polystyrene microplastic particles in vitro and in vivo

Researchers studied the uptake and effects of orally ingested polystyrene microplastic particles using human intestinal cell models and rodent experiments. They found that smaller microplastics were taken up by intestinal cells and could cross the gut barrier, though the majority passed through the digestive system. The study suggests that while most ingested microplastics are excreted, a fraction can be absorbed, warranting further investigation into long-term health effects.

2019 Archives of Toxicology 559 citations
Article Tier 2

Investigation of potential toxic effects of nano- and microplastics on human endometrial stromal cells

Researchers exposed human endometrial cells (uterine lining cells) to polystyrene nano- and microplastics and found that smaller particles (100 nanometers) were taken up most readily, accumulating in both the nucleus and cytoplasm. At higher concentrations, the nanoplastics reduced cell growth and triggered cell death. These findings suggest that nanoplastics could pose a risk to uterine health and potentially affect fertility and pregnancy outcomes.

2025 Reproductive Toxicology 6 citations