Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Relationship Between Human Microbiome and Helicobacter pylori

This review explores the complex relationship between Helicobacter pylori, the bacterium that causes stomach ulcers, and the broader human gut microbiome. While not directly about microplastics, it provides important context because microplastic exposure is known to alter gut bacteria composition. Understanding how the gut microbiome interacts with specific pathogens is relevant to assessing whether microplastic-driven changes in gut bacteria could make people more vulnerable to infections.

2025 Microbiology Research 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Polyethylene microplastics cooperate with Helicobacter pylori to promote gastric injury and inflammation in mice

Researchers investigated how polyethylene microplastics interact with the stomach bacterium Helicobacter pylori in mice. They found that H. pylori formed biofilms on microplastic surfaces, and that mice exposed to both microplastics and the bacteria developed more severe gastric inflammation than those exposed to either alone. The study suggests that microplastics may facilitate bacterial colonization in the stomach and amplify infection-related tissue damage.

2021 Chemosphere 84 citations
Systematic Review Tier 1

Microplastics in the Gastrointestinal Tract: A Systematic Review

This systematic review summarizes research on microplastics found in the human gastrointestinal tract. It highlights that microplastics are accumulating in our digestive systems through food and water, and calls for urgent research to understand how these particles may affect gut health and overall well-being.

2025 Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology
Article Tier 2

The infiltration of microplastics in human systems: Gastrointestinal accumulation and pathogenic impacts

This review focuses on how microplastics accumulate in the human digestive system and what health problems they might cause. The authors explain that people ingest microplastics through food, water, and air, and these particles may trigger inflammation, disrupt gut bacteria, and potentially contribute to gastrointestinal diseases.

2025 Heliyon 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Characterization of Microplastics in Human Gastric Cancer and Control Tissues and Analysis of Associated Genetic Features

Researchers detected and characterized microplastics in human gastric cancer tissue and adjacent healthy tissue, finding significantly higher microplastic concentrations in cancer tissue, and used transcriptome sequencing to explore potential molecular mechanisms linking microplastic exposure to gastric cancer development.

2025 Advanced Healthcare Materials
Article Tier 2

Presence of microplastics in human stomachs

In the first study to confirm microplastics in human stomachs, researchers found plastic particles in all 26 cadavers examined, averaging about 9 particles per person with fibers being the most common type. The estimated daily intake was about 32 particles per day, providing direct evidence that microplastics are routinely present in the human digestive system.

2024 Forensic Science International 42 citations
Systematic Review Tier 1

Effect of microplastics and nanoplastics in gastrointestinal tract on gut health: A systematic review.

This systematic review provides the first comprehensive look at how microplastics and nanoplastics affect the human gut using laboratory models. The findings help explain how these tiny particles may damage the digestive tract lining and trigger inflammation, which is important for understanding the health risks of swallowing microplastics in food and water.

2025 PubMed
Article Tier 2

Detection of microplastics in human colectomy specimens

Researchers examined tissue samples from patients who had colon surgery and detected microplastics in the specimens. The findings suggest that microplastics are commonly present in the human colon, adding to a growing body of evidence that these particles accumulate in the human digestive system.

2020 JGH Open 550 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in our diet: complementary in vitro gut and epithelium models to understand their fate in the human digestive tract.

Researchers used complementary in vitro gut models to study how microplastics behave during human digestion, finding that digestive conditions alter microplastic surface properties and their interactions with gut cells. The work advances understanding of how ingested microplastics may affect the human digestive system.

2021 HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe)
Article Tier 2

Fate and impact of microplastics in in vitro human digestive environment and dialogue between epithelium, gut microbiota and mucus

This study used laboratory models of the human digestive system to track what happens to microplastics as they pass through the gut, and how they interact with gut bacteria and the mucus lining. The findings provide insight into how microplastics may disrupt the gut environment and potentially affect human health.

2021 HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe)
Article Tier 2

Detection of Various Microplastics in Human Stool

Researchers analyzed human stool samples and detected various types of microplastic particles, providing direct evidence that microplastics pass through the human digestive system. The study highlights that people are routinely ingesting microplastics through everyday food and drink consumption.

2019 Annals of Internal Medicine 1777 citations
Article Tier 2

Analysis\nof Microplastics in Human Feces Reveals a\nCorrelation between Fecal Microplastics and Inflammatory Bowel Disease\nStatus

Researchers found higher concentrations and greater diversity of microplastics in fecal samples from inflammatory bowel disease patients compared to healthy controls, suggesting a potential association between microplastic ingestion and gut inflammation, though causality remains to be established.

2021 Figshare 5 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

Microplastics and health hazards: gastrointestinal risk assessment across a multi-species perspective

This review assesses the gastrointestinal health risks of micro- and nanoplastics across multiple species, from aquatic organisms to mammals, examining how these particles interact with the digestive system. Researchers found that microplastics can cause gut inflammation, alter the microbiome, and potentially cross the intestinal barrier into other tissues. The study highlights that understanding effects across species can help predict potential risks to human digestive health.

2025 Asian Journal of Atmospheric Environment 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of Microplastic on the Gastrointestinal Tract and Gut microbiome of Sprague Dawley Rats

Adult male rats were fed polyethylene microplastics mixed with standard food for 24 days to assess effects on gastrointestinal tissue histology and gut microbiome composition. Microplastic exposure caused histological changes in the gastrointestinal tract lining and altered gut microbial diversity, providing direct evidence that oral microplastic ingestion disrupts gut health in mammals.

2024 Maǧallaẗ ǧāmiʿaẗ al-Sulṭān Qābūs li-l-ʿulūm/Sultan Qaboos University journal for science
Article Tier 2

Aggregation kinetics of polystyrene nanoplastics in gastric environments: Effects of plastic properties, solution conditions, and gastric constituents

Researchers studied how polystyrene nanoplastics clump together (aggregate) inside simulated human stomach fluid under conditions mimicking fasting and different feeding states. They found that smaller particles aggregate faster, lower stomach pH accelerates clumping, and stomach proteins coat the plastic particles and dramatically change how they behave — findings that matter for understanding how nanoplastics travel through the human digestive system after ingestion.

2022 Environment International 27 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic accumulation in fibrotic intestinal tissue and mesenteric adipose tissue in Crohn’s disease patients

Researchers found microplastic accumulation in intestinal tissue and surrounding fat from Crohn's disease patients, with higher concentrations in areas with more severe scarring and inflammation. Twelve types of microplastics were identified, and frequent invasive medical procedures appeared to worsen the buildup. This is the first study showing that microplastics can penetrate the intestinal barrier in Crohn's patients, raising questions about whether plastic exposure could contribute to disease progression.

2025 Environmental Research 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics (MPs): Fate in in vitro human digestive environment and study of the dialogue between epithelium, microbiota and mucus

This study examined what happens to microplastics as they pass through the human digestive system in vitro, studying interactions between plastic particles, gut microbiota, and intestinal mucus. Understanding how the gut processes microplastics is a key step in evaluating their potential health effects.

2021 HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe)
Article Tier 2

Toxicological impacts of microplastics on human health: a bibliometric analysis

This bibliometric analysis maps the growing body of research on microplastic toxicity and human health, focusing on effects in the gastrointestinal system. Researchers found a rapid increase in studies examining how microplastics deposited in the gut can enter the bloodstream and potentially trigger immune responses. The study highlights emerging research hotspots and identifies key gaps in our understanding of how microplastics affect human health.

2023 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 23 citations
Article Tier 2

Interaction of Polystyrene Nanoplastics and Helicobacter pylori Modulates Gastric Cancer Cellular Functions and Metastasis

Researchers investigated the combined effects of polystyrene nanoplastics and H. pylori bacteria on gastric cancer cells. In laboratory experiments, co-exposure reduced cancer cell viability, increased cell death, and enhanced autophagy. However, in animal models the combined exposure showed an antagonistic effect, where H. pylori actually reduced the metastasis-promoting effects of nanoplastics alone, suggesting complex interactions between nanoplastics and bacterial pathogens in the gut environment.

2026 Figshare
Article Tier 2

Association between microplastics and the functionalities of human gut microbiome

Researchers measured five types of microplastics in the blood of 39 adults and then analyzed their gut bacteria using advanced genetic sequencing. They found that microplastic exposure was linked to changes in gut bacteria that could promote infection, including increases in genes related to bacterial invasion and communication. This is one of the first studies to connect microplastic levels in human blood with functional changes in the gut microbiome, suggesting a mechanism by which microplastics could affect overall health.

2024 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 19 citations
Article Tier 2

Association between microplastics exposure and gut microbiota and metabolites in older adults: A cross-sectional study

Researchers analyzed fecal samples from 45 older adults to assess the relationship between microplastic exposure and gut microbiota. They found an average of 70 microplastic particles per gram of feces, primarily PVC, butadiene rubber, and polyethylene, and observed that microplastic exposure was associated with changes in gut microbial diversity and metabolite levels. The study suggests that microplastics may influence gut health in older adults by altering bacterial community composition and metabolic pathways.

2025 Environmental Research 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Interaction of Polystyrene Nanoplastics and Helicobacter pylori Modulates Gastric Cancer Cellular Functions and Metastasis

Researchers examined whether polystyrene nanoplastics and Helicobacter pylori bacteria can jointly enter gastric cancer cells and influence cancer progression. The study found that combined exposure to nanoplastics and H. pylori modulated cell proliferation, apoptosis, autophagy, and metastasis in gastric cancer cells, suggesting that nanoplastic contamination may interact with bacterial infections to affect cancer-related cellular processes.

2026 Figshare
Article Tier 2

Interaction of Polystyrene Nanoplastics and Helicobacter pylori Modulates Gastric Cancer Cellular Functions and Metastasis

Researchers examined whether polystyrene nanoplastics and Helicobacter pylori bacteria can jointly enter gastric cancer cells and influence cancer progression. The study found that combined exposure to nanoplastics and H. pylori modulated cell proliferation, apoptosis, autophagy, and metastasis in gastric cancer cells, suggesting that nanoplastic contamination may interact with bacterial infections to affect cancer-related cellular processes.

2026 Figshare