Papers

20 results
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Article Tier 2

Efficient extraction of small microplastic particles from rat feed and feces for quantification

Researchers developed a three-step chemical and enzymatic digestion protocol to efficiently extract small microplastic particles — down to 15 micrometers — from rat food and feces, achieving high recovery rates for polyamide and polyethylene. The validated method enables accurate measurement of microplastics in animal feeding studies, supporting research into how humans and animals are exposed to and excrete microplastics through diet.

2023 Heliyon 22 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic evacuation in fish is particle size‐dependent

Microplastic retention time in fish was found to depend on particle size, with larger particles being evacuated more slowly than smaller ones, providing empirical data to interpret gut burden studies and better understand chronic exposure dynamics.

2021 Freshwater Biology 69 citations
Article Tier 2

Critical review on microplastics in fecal matter: Research progress, analytical methods and future outlook

This critical review synthesizes methods and findings from microplastic research in fecal matter across diverse organisms, highlighting the need for standardized analytical methods to enable comparisons of microplastic passage and excretion rates.

2021 The Science of The Total Environment 84 citations
Article Tier 2

Excretion characteristics of nylon microplastics and absorption risk of nanoplastics in rats

Researchers examined the excretion dynamics of nylon microplastics in rats, finding that fibrous particles were retained longer than granular ones, while nanoplastics could cross the intestinal barrier and accumulate in organs including the liver and kidneys.

2022 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 32 citations
Article Tier 2

A central role for fecal matter in the transport of microplastics: An updated analysis of new findings and persisting questions

This review examines the central role of fecal matter in transporting microplastics through ecosystems, analyzing how organisms ingest and excrete microplastics and the implications for environmental fate and human exposure monitoring.

2021 Journal of Hazardous Materials Advances 42 citations
Article Tier 2

Size-dependent elimination of ingested microplastics in the Mediterranean mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis

Researchers measured gut retention time and long-term egestion of 1, 10, and 90 μm polystyrene microspheres in the Mediterranean mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis, finding that smaller microplastics were excreted quickly but detected intermittently for up to 40 days, while larger particles were slowly excreted in bulk before disappearing.

2019 Marine Pollution Bulletin 99 citations
Article Tier 2

Impact of artificial digestion on the sizes and shapes of microplastic particles

Researchers investigated whether the human digestive process changes the size and shape of common microplastic particles. They found that all five major plastic types tested showed high resistance to artificial digestive juices, meaning the particles pass through the gastrointestinal tract largely unchanged. The study notes that proteins and other organic compounds can adsorb onto plastic particles during digestion, which could complicate accurate measurement of particle characteristics.

2019 Food and Chemical Toxicology 164 citations
Article Tier 2

Characterization of nanoplastics and small-sized microplastics in sewage treatment

Researchers developed a novel investigation into nanoplastics and small microplastics (50–2500 nm) in sewage treatment plants, finding these tiny particles present in both raw and treated sewage and characterizing their recovery rates through different treatment stages.

2025 Scientific Reports 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Unveiling Small-Sized Plastic Particles Hidden behind Large-Sized Ones in Human Excretion and Their Potential Sources

Using advanced detection methods, researchers found that very small plastic particles (under 20 micrometers) in human feces and urine actually outnumber the larger particles that most studies measure. The most common plastics found were polyethylene, PVC, PET, and polypropylene, and their levels correlated with the use of plastic food containers and eating seafood -- suggesting these are key ways tiny plastics enter our bodies.

2024 Environmental Science & Technology 26 citations
Article Tier 2

A review on microplastics in mammalian feces: Monitoring techniques and associated challenges

Researchers reviewed how microplastics appear in the feces of humans, dogs, cats, and marine mammals, finding PET plastic to be the most common type across species. Analyzing feces offers a non-invasive way to track how much plastic organisms are ingesting, which could help guide environmental health policies.

2025 Environmental Challenges
Article Tier 2

Influence of artificial digestion on characteristics and intestinal cellular effects of micro-, submicro- and nanoplastics

Researchers simulated human digestion to study how micro-, submicro-, and nanoplastics change as they pass through the stomach and intestines. They found that the digestive process altered the surface properties and size distribution of the plastic particles, potentially affecting how they interact with intestinal cells. The study suggests that the body's digestive environment may transform plastic particles in ways that influence their biological impact.

2023 Food and Chemical Toxicology 20 citations
Article Tier 2

Semiquantitative assessment of the distribution of microplastic particles in the body during acute exposure

Researchers developed and validated a semi-quantitative method to assess microplastic distribution across organs in rats under acute exposure conditions, using fluorescent particles of three sizes (100, 500, 1000 nm) to map accumulation patterns — finding size-dependent biodistribution with smaller particles reaching more tissues.

2025 Hygiene and Sanitation
Article Tier 2

Desorption of bisphenol A from microplastics under simulated gastrointestinal conditions

Researchers investigated bisphenol A desorption from three types of microplastics under simulated gastrointestinal conditions, finding that ingested microplastics can release adsorbed BPA during digestion, posing potential health risks.

2023 Frontiers in Marine Science 12 citations
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

Size-dependent adverse effects of microplastics on intestinal microbiota and metabolic homeostasis in the marine medaka (Oryzias melastigma)

Researchers exposed marine medaka fish to different sizes of polystyrene microplastics for 60 days and found that particle size was a key factor in determining health effects. Larger particles (200 micrometers) caused weight gain and fat accumulation, while smaller particles (2 and 10 micrometers) led to liver inflammation and damage. The study also revealed that microplastics disrupted the balance of gut bacteria, particularly with larger particle exposure.

2021 Environment International 214 citations
Article Tier 2

Size effects of microplastics on accumulation and elimination of phenanthrene in earthworms

Researchers examined how microplastic particle size affects the accumulation and elimination of the pollutant phenanthrene in earthworms. They found that smaller microplastics enhanced phenanthrene uptake in earthworm tissues, while larger particles had a less pronounced effect. The study demonstrates that microplastic size influences how organic pollutants interact with soil organisms, with finer particles potentially increasing contaminant bioavailability.

2020 Journal of Hazardous Materials 138 citations
Article Tier 2

An efficient method for extracting microplastics from feces of different species

A novel method using Fenton's reagent followed by nitric acid digestion was developed to extract microplastics from feces of humans and chickens, achieving 97.78% recovery with no polymer degradation. The protocol addresses a key gap in human and animal exposure assessment by enabling reliable quantification of ingested microplastics from fecal samples.

2019 Journal of Hazardous Materials 137 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

Uptake and depuration kinetics of microplastics with different polymer types and particle sizes in Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes)

Researchers studied the uptake and depuration kinetics of microplastics with different polymer types and sizes in Japanese medaka fish. They found that smaller particles accumulated more readily in fish tissues and were retained longer than larger ones, with particle distribution varying by organ. The study provides important quantitative data on how microplastic characteristics influence their accumulation and clearance in fish, which is relevant to understanding food chain transfer.

2021 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 98 citations
Article Tier 2

What if you eat nanoplastics? Simulating nanoplastics fate during gastrointestinal digestion

Researchers simulated what happens to nanoplastics as they pass through the human digestive system, from the mouth through the stomach and intestines. They found that digestive conditions significantly altered the size and surface properties of the particles, which could affect how readily they are absorbed into the body. The study provides important insights into how the gut environment transforms nanoplastics and may influence their potential health effects.

2024 Chemosphere 5 citations