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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Risk assessing micro- and nanoplastics for early-life human health: the AURORA Horizon 2020 research project
ClearRisk assessing micro- and nanoplastics for early-life human health: the AURORA Horizon 2020 research project
The AURORA project is building a European risk assessment roadmap for nano- and microplastic exposure during early life, a period with distinct vulnerabilities. The project aims to inform EU regulatory decisions by closing data gaps on fetal, infant, and child exposure.
Investigating Exposure and Hazards of Micro- and Nanoplastics During Pregnancy and Early Life (AURORA Project): Protocol for an Interdisciplinary Study (Preprint)
The AURORA project protocol describes an interdisciplinary European study investigating micro- and nanoplastic exposures and their biological effects during pregnancy and early life, enrolling mother-child cohorts and combining biomonitoring with mechanistic research. The project aims to identify critical windows of developmental vulnerability to plastic pollution.
Investigating Exposure and Hazards of Micro- and Nanoplastics During Pregnancy and Early Life (AURORA Project): Protocol for an Interdisciplinary Study
This research protocol outlines an interdisciplinary study designed to investigate how micro- and nanoplastic exposure during pregnancy and early life may affect human health. The AURORA Project aims to assess both the extent of plastic particle exposure and potential hazards during these critical developmental windows. The study represents an important step toward understanding whether early-life plastic exposure poses risks to mothers and their children.
Abstracts
The AURORA project — a European interdisciplinary study — is developing analytical tools to measure microplastics in pregnant women and newborns, a period of heightened vulnerability to environmental contaminants. Early results already confirm microplastics are present in the placenta, can cross into placental cells, and carry complex chemical profiles, underscoring the urgency of understanding whether prenatal plastic exposure affects child development.
Impacts of micro- and nanoplastics on early-life health: a roadmap towards risk assessment
Researchers proposed a detailed risk assessment roadmap specifically for how micro- and nanoplastic exposure during pregnancy and early childhood could harm fetal and infant development, noting that these tiny particles have already been detected in human placentas. The framework identifies critical gaps in dosing data, detection methods, and placental transfer research needed before reliable safety conclusions can be drawn.
Oral exposure to micro- and nanoplastics: Developing a modular and flexible risk assessment framework for human health
Researchers proposed a modular and flexible risk assessment framework for evaluating the human health risks of oral exposure to micro- and nanoplastics. The framework integrates modern concepts such as Integrated Approaches to Testing and Assessment and Adverse Outcome Pathways, providing a systematic method for addressing the complexity and diversity of these materials.
What Health Concerns Could Micro and Nanoplastics Pose for Infants? A Review
Microplastics and nanoplastics have been detected in human placentas, meconium, and infant faeces, meaning babies can be exposed before and immediately after birth. This review examines what these early-life exposures might mean for infant health and development, and discusses broader policy responses to reduce plastic overproduction as the most direct route to protecting future generations.
Micro- and Nanoplastics and Fetal Health: Challenges in Assessment and Evidence from Epidemiological Studies
This review examines the emerging evidence that micro- and nanoplastics can reach the developing fetus during pregnancy, with animal studies showing potential effects on neurological development and placental blood flow. The study also highlights major challenges in accurately detecting and measuring these tiny particles in biological tissues from mothers and babies. The authors call for standardized methods and more human studies to better understand the risks of prenatal microplastic exposure.
Resolving the effects of environmental micro- and nanoplastics exposure in biota: A knowledge gap analysis
This review synthesized knowledge gaps in microplastic and nanoplastic ecotoxicology through a systematic analysis of the literature, identifying the most poorly understood exposure pathways, sensitive life stages, and ecosystem types, and proposing a research priority framework to guide future investigations.
Microplastic Exposure and Human Health: Advancing Risk Assessment and Future Research Directions
This review synthesizes recent evidence that microplastics are present in human blood, respiratory tissue, placenta, and gut, examines proposed toxicological mechanisms, and identifies priorities for improving risk assessment frameworks and exposure measurement methods.
Microplastics and child health: A scoping review of prenatal and early-life exposure routes and potential health risks
This scoping review examined how microplastics reach children through prenatal and early-life exposure routes, including placental transfer, breast milk, formula, and feeding bottles. The evidence indicates that microplastic exposure begins before birth and continues through infancy via multiple pathways, raising concerns about potential developmental health effects during these particularly vulnerable life stages.
An integrated approach to assess exposure and early health effects in human populations exposed to micro- and nanoplastics
This paper outlines a proposed framework for systematically assessing human exposure to micro- and nanoplastics and their early health effects, noting that current estimates are hindered by a lack of standardized detection methods. Researchers emphasize that occupational settings where plastics are processed, as well as vulnerable populations like children and pregnant women, should be prioritized for study. The study calls for validated biomarkers and standardized protocols to better understand the real-world health consequences of human microplastic exposure.
Paradigms to assess the human health risks of nano- and microplastics
Researchers proposed a new, comprehensive framework for assessing the health risks of nano- and microplastics (tiny plastic particles), addressing key gaps in how we analyze these particles, model their behavior, and use that information to protect human health — since no such standard risk assessment system currently exists.
A Children’s Health Perspective on Nano- and Microplastics
This paper highlighted that children face unique risks from nano- and microplastic exposure because their defense mechanisms are still developing, yet almost no toxicological research has specifically focused on child health. Researchers noted that child-specific exposure sources and how plastic particles are absorbed and eliminated in young bodies remain largely unstudied. The study provides recommendations for filling these research gaps and suggests ways families can reduce early-life plastic exposure.
Aggregate exposure pathways for microplastics (mpAEP): An evidence-based framework to identify research and regulatory needs
An aggregate exposure pathway framework for microplastics was developed to organize and integrate fragmented data on microplastic sources, environmental levels, and toxicity in a way that supports human and ecological risk assessment, identifying critical research and data gaps.
How problems with microplastics in research and application can be overcome
This methodological review addressed common problems in micro- and nanoplastic research, including challenges in hazard identification, exposure assessment, and risk characterization arising from the complex mixture nature of MNPs. The authors proposed practical solutions and standardization approaches to improve the reliability of microplastic risk assessments.
Health Implications of Microplastic Exposure in Pregnancy and Early Childhood: A Systematic Review
This systematic review summarizes existing research on how microplastic exposure during pregnancy and early childhood may affect health. The evidence shows that microplastics can reach the placenta and may cause oxidative stress and inflammation, raising concerns about potential effects on fetal development and infant health during these vulnerable life stages.
Screening and prioritization of nano- and microplastic particle toxicity studies for evaluating human health risks – development and application of a toxicity study assessment tool
Researchers developed a standardized tool to screen and rank toxicity studies on nano- and microplastics by quality and relevance, addressing a critical gap in how scientists evaluate which studies should inform human health risk assessments for these widespread plastic pollutants.
The Impact of Maternal Nanoplastic and Microplastic Particle Exposure on Mammal’s Offspring
This review summarizes research on how a mother's exposure to nanoplastics and microplastics during pregnancy can affect her developing baby. Studies show that these tiny plastic particles can cross the placenta and reach the fetus, potentially harming brain development, the reproductive system, metabolism, and the immune system of offspring. The review calls for more research using realistic exposure levels to better understand the risks of prenatal microplastic exposure to human babies.
Towards a risk assessment framework for micro- and nanoplastic particles for human health
This review proposes a framework for assessing the health risks of micro- and nanoplastics to humans, noting that current methods are inadequate because these particles come in countless types, sizes, and chemical compositions. The authors recommend focusing first on inhalation risks and suggest using existing approaches for evaluating low-toxicity particles and fibers as a starting point for plastic particle safety standards.
Risk assessment and toxicological research on micro‐ and nanoplastics after oral exposure via food products
This review assessed the toxicological risk of micro- and nanoplastics following oral exposure in humans, synthesizing available data on particle behavior in the gastrointestinal tract, absorption, biodistribution, and potential adverse effects. It identifies significant research gaps and calls for standardized risk assessment frameworks given rising global plastic production.
Microplastics on the Planet: Current Knowledge and Challenges
This review summarizes the current state of microplastic research worldwide, noting that while detection methods have improved, measuring nano-sized plastic particles remains a major challenge. There are still no established safety thresholds for human exposure to microplastics, and the scientific community urgently needs to develop these standards to properly assess the health risks people face.
The impact of microplastics on female reproduction and early life
This review examined the current evidence on how micro- and nanoplastics may affect female reproduction and early life development. Researchers found that studies in animals suggest microplastics can cross important biological barriers and may interfere with reproductive processes, though human data remains very limited. The study highlights the urgent need for standardized methods to measure human exposure and better understand potential reproductive health effects.
Bridging the Gaps between Microplastics and Human Health
This review synthesizes evidence on how humans are exposed to microplastics and nanoplastics through inhalation, ingestion, breastmilk, skin contact, and placental transfer, and surveys animal and in vitro studies showing that these particles can cross the placental barrier and disrupt fetal development. The authors highlight that nanoplastics — even smaller and more bioavailable than microplastics — remain severely understudied despite their likely greater toxicity. They call for large-scale epidemiological studies and standardized measurement methods to close the major gaps between what lab studies suggest and what we actually know about human health impacts.