Papers

61,005 results
|
Article Tier 2

Near-infrared (NIR-II) fluorescent poly(ethylene terephthalate) nano-microplastics for in vivo tracking

Researchers developed a new method to track nano-microplastics inside living animals in real time using near-infrared fluorescent imaging. By embedding a special dye into common PET plastic particles, they were able to follow the particles through mice after oral exposure, offering a promising tool for studying how plastics of different sizes behave inside the body.

2025 Journal of Nanoparticle Research 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Near-Infrared-II In Vivo Visualization and Quantitative Tracking of Micro/Nanoplastics in Fish

Scientists developed a new near-infrared imaging technique to track micro- and nanoplastics inside living zebrafish in real time, overcoming limitations of previous detection methods. They found that both sizes of plastic particles accumulated mainly in the gut, with microplastics concentrating more in the front sections and nanoplastics distributing more evenly. This tracking tool helps researchers better understand how plastic particles move through and accumulate in living organisms, which is essential for assessing the risks of microplastic exposure.

2023 ACS Nano 38 citations
Article Tier 2

NIR-II Plastic Particles for Monitoring IntestinalMotility and Microplastic Deposition in Mice

Researchers developed near-infrared II (NIR-II) fluorescent plastic particles to non-invasively track microplastic movement and deposition in living mice, finding that microplastics accumulated preferentially in the intestine with slow clearance.

2025 Figshare
Article Tier 2

Label-Free Identification and Imaging of Microplastic and Nanoplastic Biouptake Using Optical Photothermal Infrared Microspectroscopy

Researchers developed a new imaging technique that can locate and identify microplastic and nanoplastic particles inside whole organisms without needing fluorescent labels. Using a method called optical photothermal infrared microscopy, they tracked polystyrene particles as small as 1 micrometer in roundworms. This tool could help scientists better understand how plastic particles are taken up by living things and where they accumulate in the body.

2025 Environmental Science & Technology 9 citations
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

Imaging and quantifying the biological uptake and distribution of nanoplastics using a dual-functional model material

Researchers developed a dual-functional nanoplastic model material that allows both imaging and precise quantification of nanoplastic uptake in biological systems. Using surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, they could track where nanoplastics accumulated in organisms at high resolution. The tool addresses a major gap in nanoplastic research by enabling more accurate measurement of how these tiny particles interact with living tissues.

2024 2 citations
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

NIR-II Plastic Particles for Monitoring IntestinalMotility and Microplastic Deposition in Mice

Researchers developed NIR-II fluorescent microplastic tracers to non-invasively monitor intestinal motility and microplastic deposition in living mice, enabling real-time imaging of how plastic particles travel and accumulate within the gut. (Duplicate record.)

2025 Figshare
Article Tier 2

Fabrication and characterization of (fluorescent) model nanoplastics for polymer specific detection

Scientists developed fluorescently labeled model nanoplastics that mimic the properties of real plastic particles, enabling polymer-specific identification at very small scales. These standardized reference particles are a key research tool because nanoplastics are otherwise extremely difficult to detect and characterize in environmental samples.

2026 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

NIR-II Plastic Particles for Monitoring IntestinalMotility and Microplastic Deposition in Mice

This study created NIR-II fluorescent plastic particles to study intestinal motility and microplastic deposition in live mice, demonstrating their utility for real-time in vivo tracking of microplastic behavior in the digestive tract. (Duplicate record.)

2025 Figshare
Article Tier 2

Visible Combined Near-Infrared in Situ Imaging Revealed Dynamic Effects of Microplastic Fibers and Beads in Zebrafish

Researchers used a combined visible and near-infrared imaging technique to track microplastic fibers and beads in live zebrafish in real time. They observed that microplastics were quickly ingested and could be retained briefly in the digestive tract before being eliminated. The study provides new insights into the dynamic behavior of microplastics inside living organisms and whether any tissue damage that occurs during transit can be reversed.

2024 Environmental Science & Technology 16 citations
Article Tier 2

Imaging and quantifying the biological uptake and distribution of nanoplastics using a dual-functional model material

This study used advanced imaging techniques to visualize and quantify nanoplastic uptake and distribution in biological systems, tracking particle translocation from exposure routes into tissues and characterizing intracellular localization.

2024 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Fluorescent Nanodiamonds for Tracking Single Polymer Particles in Cells and Tissues

Scientists embedded fluorescent nanodiamond particles inside polymer nanoparticles to create a tracking label that does not bleach or blink, enabling long-term imaging of where plastic particles end up inside cells and liver tissue. This tool addresses a key challenge in microplastics research — reliably following individual particles through biological systems — and could improve understanding of how nanoplastics and drug-delivery nanoparticles are distributed and retained in the body.

2023 Analytical Chemistry 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Morphological and chemical characterization of nanoplastics in human tissue

Researchers developed methods to visualize and chemically characterize nanoplastics that have accumulated in human tissue samples. They were able to identify plastic particles smaller than one micrometer within tissue using advanced microscopy and spectroscopy techniques. The study provides some of the first direct evidence of nanoscale plastic accumulation in the human body, which is essential for designing future health effects research.

2025 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Making fluorescent nylon, polypropylene, and polystyrene microplastics for in-vivo and in-vitro imaging

Researchers developed methods for making fluorescent nylon, polypropylene, and polystyrene microplastics by incorporating fluorescent dyes during fabrication, enabling reliable tracking in live-cell and in vivo imaging studies. The fluorescent MPs retained their physical properties while allowing visualization of cellular uptake, tissue distribution, and biological interactions.

2025 Preprints.org
Article Tier 2

NIR-II Plastic Particles for Monitoring IntestinalMotility and Microplastic Deposition in Mice

NIR-II fluorescent plastic particles were used to monitor real-time intestinal microplastic movement and accumulation in mice, revealing that different particle sizes showed distinct deposition patterns in the gastrointestinal tract. (Duplicate record.)

2025 Figshare
Article Tier 2

Noncovalent radiolabeling of microplastics using a desferrioxamine-conjugated Nile Red derivative for quantitative in vivo tracking

Researchers developed a new method for tracking microplastics in living organisms using a specialized dye that attaches to plastic surfaces without altering their properties, enabling both fluorescence imaging and radioactive labeling. The technique allowed quantitative tracking of microplastic movement through the gastrointestinal tract of mice using PET imaging, providing a tool for better understanding how microplastics behave in the body.

2026 Analytica Chimica Acta
Article Tier 2

Fabrication and characterization of (fluorescent) model nanoplastics for polymer specific detection

This study developed and characterized fluorescent model nanoplastics that can be tracked and identified by polymer type, providing standardized reference particles for laboratory research. Reliable model nanoplastics are critical tools for toxicology experiments — without them, it is difficult to compare results across studies or understand which plastic types pose the greatest biological risk.

2026 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Novel Near-InfraredImaging Unveils Higher Risk ofBiodegradable Microplastics on Fish Red Blood Cells at EnvironmentallyRelevant Concentrations

Researchers developed a near-infrared imaging approach to detect microplastics in blood cells without the spectral overlap problems of conventional fluorescent probes, enabling direct observation of MP interactions with red blood cells. The technique revealed that biodegradable microplastics posed higher risks to blood cell integrity than conventional plastic types.

2025 Figshare
Article Tier 2

NIR-II Plastic Particles for Monitoring IntestinalMotility and Microplastic Deposition in Mice

Fluorescent NIR-II plastic tracers were developed and used to track microplastic distribution in mouse intestines in vivo, finding that plastic particles accumulated and were retained in specific intestinal regions over time. (Duplicate record.)

2025 Figshare
Article Tier 2

Digestible Fluorescent Coatings for Cumulative Quantification of Microplastic Ingestion

Researchers developed digestible fluorescent coatings for microplastic particles that allow cumulative quantification of ingestion over time, overcoming the limitation of gut-content snapshots by enabling tracking of total microplastic exposure in organisms.

2017 Environmental Science & Technology Letters 21 citations
Article Tier 2

Label-free non-destructive spectroscopic detection of mixed microplastic uptake and differential effects on intestinal epithelial cells

Researchers used a specialized infrared spectroscopy technique to detect and identify real-world microplastics that had been internalized by human intestinal cells in the lab. They found that mixed microplastic exposures caused measurable changes in cellular biochemistry, even when individual plastic types showed limited effects. The study demonstrates a promising non-destructive method for tracking microplastics inside biological tissues and suggests that realistic mixtures of plastics may be more harmful than single types alone.

2026 Journal of Hazardous Materials 1 citations
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

Top-down synthesis of luminescent microplastics and nanoplastics by incorporation of upconverting nanoparticles for environmental assessment

Researchers synthesized luminescent polyethylene microplastic and nanoplastic model particles using a top-down approach by incorporating upconverting nanoparticles, producing irregularly shaped particles similar to environmental samples that are trackable under 980 nm near-infrared irradiation for environmental assessment applications.

2022 Environmental Science Nano 10 citations