Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Comparison of PET tracing and biodistribution between 64Cu-labeled micro-and nano-polystyrene in a murine inhalation model

Using advanced PET imaging in mice, researchers tracked where inhaled micro and nanoplastics traveled in the body and found that nano-sized particles cleared from the lungs much faster than micro-sized ones but accumulated more in the liver, spleen, and other organs. Micro-sized particles stayed in the lungs longer, with peak retention at 24 hours, while nano-sized particles spread quickly throughout the body. This is one of the first studies to directly visualize how inhaled plastic particles distribute through living mammals, confirming that smaller particles pose a greater risk of reaching organs beyond the lungs.

2024 Particle and Fibre Toxicology 19 citations
Article Tier 2

Unraveling the in vivo fate of inhaled micro- and nanoplastics with PET imaging

Using advanced PET imaging, researchers tracked what happens to inhaled and injected micro and nanoplastics inside living mice for the first time. They found that nanoplastics largely avoided being captured by immune cells in the lungs and could travel to other organs, while both sizes accumulated heavily in the liver and spleen after entering the bloodstream. This study provides direct evidence that inhaled plastic particles can redistribute throughout the body, which is important for understanding how airborne microplastics might affect human health.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 41 citations
Article Tier 2

PET Tracing of Biodistribution for Orally Administered 64Cu-Labeled Polystyrene in Mice

Researchers used PET imaging to track the real-time biodistribution of orally administered radiolabeled polystyrene microplastics in mice. The study found that microplastics were absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract and distributed to various organs, providing direct visual evidence of how ingested plastic particles can travel through the body.

2021 Journal of Nuclear Medicine 81 citations
Article Tier 2

Analysis of Biodistribution and in vivo Toxicity of Varying Sized Polystyrene Micro and Nanoplastics in Mice

This study found that smaller plastic particles spread more widely through the bodies of mice and caused more organ damage than larger ones, particularly in the liver, kidneys, and heart. Nanoplastics (under 1 micrometer) were especially concerning because they crossed biological barriers more easily than microplastics. The results suggest that the tiniest plastic particles in our environment may pose the greatest health risks.

2024 International Journal of Nanomedicine 36 citations
Article Tier 2

Size-Dependent PulmonaryToxicity and Whole-Body Distributionof Inhaled Micro/Nanoplastic Particles in Male Mice from Chronic Exposure

Researchers used a whole-body inhalation exposure system to chronically expose male mice to polystyrene micro- and nanoplastics at environmental concentrations and tracked particle distribution and lung toxicity. Nanoplastics (80 nm) showed greater tissue transport than microplastics (1 µm), with highest accumulation in lungs followed by blood and spleen, and both sizes disrupted oxidative balance and antioxidant defenses.

2025 Figshare
Article Tier 2

In Vivo tracing and systemic organ biodistribution of dermally exposed nano polystyrene

Researchers used radiolabeled nano-sized polystyrene particles to trace how nanoplastics penetrate the skin and distribute throughout the body in a chronic dermal exposure model. They found that the nanoparticles were able to cross the skin barrier and translocate to multiple organs throughout the body. The study suggests that dermal exposure represents a potential route for systemic nanoplastic uptake, challenging assumptions about the skin's ability to fully block these particles.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials 1 citations
Article Tier 2

A new insight of size-dependent plastics particles kinetics with regarding of metabolomics effects in liver and kidney

Researchers developed a comprehensive extraction and detection protocol to track polystyrene particles of three sizes (80 nm, 2 µm, and 20 µm) across multiple organs in exposed animals, finding that smaller particles accumulated more broadly — reaching the brain, liver, spleen, and kidney — while liver and kidney metabolism was disrupted in size-dependent but distinct ways.

2025 Environmental Pollution
Article Tier 2

Harnessing PET to track micro- and nanoplastics in vivo

This study explores the use of positron emission tomography (PET) imaging to track micro- and nanoplastic particles in living organisms. Researchers developed methods to radiolabel plastic particles, enabling accurate determination of how these pollutants move through the body, which is critical for understanding the health effects of chronic microplastic exposure.

2021 Scientific Reports 58 citations
Article Tier 2

Blood uptake and urine excretion of nano- and micro-plastics after a single exposure.

Mice exposed to polystyrene nanoparticles (100 nm) and microparticles (3 µm) via different routes showed that smaller particles appeared rapidly in blood and were detected in urine, while larger particles cleared more slowly. The study provides direct evidence that nanoplastics can cross biological barriers and enter circulation, with potential for distribution throughout the body.

2022 The Science of the total environment
Article Tier 2

Tissue accumulation of microplastics in mice and biomarker responses suggest widespread health risks of exposure

Researchers fed mice polystyrene microplastics of two sizes and tracked where the particles accumulated in the body, finding them in the liver, kidneys, and gut with distribution patterns depending on particle size. Biochemical analysis revealed that microplastic exposure disrupted energy and fat metabolism, caused oxidative stress, and altered markers of neurotoxicity in the blood. The study provides evidence that microplastics can accumulate in mammalian tissues and may pose widespread health risks.

2017 Scientific Reports 1354 citations
Article Tier 2

Lung retention, distribution and persistence of polymer particles in rats exposed via inhalation

Researchers studied the fate of inhaled polymer particles in rats by exposing them to polystyrene and polyamide aerosols for 28 days. The study found that both types of particles accumulated in the lungs and migrated to lung-draining lymph nodes, but were not detected in the liver, spleen, or kidneys. The particles persisted in lung tissue for weeks after exposure ended, raising questions about the long-term bioavailability and fate of inhaled microplastics.

2026 Figshare
Article Tier 2

Size-Dependent Pulmonary Toxicity and Whole-Body Distribution of Inhaled Micro/Nanoplastic Particles in Male Mice from Chronic Exposure

Researchers exposed mice to airborne micro- and nanoplastic particles through normal breathing over an extended period and found the highest accumulation in the lungs, followed by the blood and spleen. Surprisingly, the larger 1-micrometer microplastics caused more severe lung damage than the smaller 80-nanometer particles, triggering inflammation, cell death, and scarring. These findings highlight that breathing in airborne plastic particles poses real health risks, with particle size playing an important role in the type of damage caused.

2025 Environmental Science & Technology 21 citations
Article Tier 2

Size-dependent and tissue specific accumulation of polystyrene microplastics and nanoplastics in zebrafish

Researchers tracked size-dependent accumulation of polystyrene micro- and nanoplastics in multiple zebrafish tissues, finding that smaller particles distributed more broadly throughout the body compared to larger ones. Nanoplastics showed greater systemic distribution including into brain and reproductive tissues, raising concerns about size-dependent health risks.

2025 Aquatic Toxicology
Article Tier 2

Lung retention, distribution and persistence of polymer particles in rats exposed via inhalation

Researchers studied the fate of inhaled polymer particles in rats by exposing them to polystyrene and polyamide aerosols for 28 days. The study found that both types of particles accumulated in the lungs and migrated to lung-draining lymph nodes, but were not detected in the liver, spleen, or kidneys. The particles persisted in lung tissue for weeks after exposure ended, highlighting potential concerns about long-term retention of inhaled microplastics.

2026 Figshare
Article Tier 2

Size-dependent translocation of polystyrene nanoplastics across biological barriers in mammals

This study tracked radiolabeled nanoplastic particles in rats and found that smaller 20-nanometer particles could cross biological barriers that larger 100-nanometer particles could not, including reaching the brain. Both sizes were transferred from mothers to offspring, but through different pathways, revealing that nanoplastic size plays a critical role in determining which organs and tissues are exposed.

2025 Nature Communications 2 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

Mass Balance Tracing of In Vivo Biodistribution, Relocation, and Excretion of Europium-Doped Micro/Nanoplastics in Rats

Scientists injected tiny plastic particles into rats and tracked where they went in the body for three months. Most plastic particles collected in the liver and spleen, with smaller particles being harder for the body to get rid of—only 80% of the smallest particles were eliminated compared to just 15% of larger ones. This suggests that microplastics from food, water, and air could build up in our organs over time, though the long-term health effects are still unknown.

2026 Environmental Science & Technology
Article Tier 2

The Uptake and Distribution Evidence of Nano- and Microplastics in vivo after a Single High Dose of Oral Exposure.

This in vivo study provided evidence on the uptake and organ distribution of nano- and microplastics following a single high-dose administration, finding that nanoplastics translocated rapidly to multiple organs through blood circulation while only small amounts of larger microplastics penetrated organs.

2024 PubMed 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Inhalation toxicity of polystyrene micro(nano)plastics using modified OECD TG 412

Researchers conducted inhalation toxicity testing of polystyrene micro- and nanoplastics in rats using a modified OECD standard protocol. They found that inhaled plastic particles caused inflammatory responses in lung tissue and were detected in various organs, indicating systemic distribution after inhalation. The study provides important regulatory-relevant data suggesting that airborne microplastics pose measurable inhalation health risks.

2020 Chemosphere 186 citations
Article Tier 2

Biodistribution and toxicity analysis of polystyrene nanoplastics in mice based on Raman detection

Researchers used surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy with an optimized gold-silver nanorod substrate to detect and track 20 nm, 100 nm, and 1000 nm polystyrene nanoplastics in mouse lungs, demonstrating accurate biodistribution mapping down to 0.01 mg/mL concentration.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials
Article Tier 2

Nanopolystyrene translocation and fetal deposition after acute lung exposure during late-stage pregnancy

Researchers exposed pregnant mice to nanoscale polystyrene particles through inhalation and tracked where the particles traveled. They found that the nanoplastics crossed from the lungs into the bloodstream and accumulated in both placental and fetal tissues, confirming that inhaled plastic nanoparticles can reach developing offspring during pregnancy.

2020 Particle and Fibre Toxicology 428 citations
Article Tier 2

MassBalance Tracing of In Vivo Biodistribution,Relocation, and Excretion of Europium-Doped Micro/Nanoplastics inRats

This rat study used europium-labeled micro- and nanoplastics to track particle distribution in the body after intravenous administration, finding that most accumulated in the liver and spleen with very little reaching the brain or heart. The results suggest that standard biological filtration processes govern microplastic distribution following classical size-dependent rules.

Figshare
Article Tier 2

Distribution of Micro-Nano PS, DEHP, and/or MEHP in Mice and Nerve Cell Models In Vitro after Exposure to Micro-Nano PS and DEHP

Researchers studied how different sizes of polystyrene microplastics distribute throughout the body when combined with the common plasticizer DEHP in mice and nerve cell models. They found that smaller particles accumulated more readily in tissues, and that microplastics carried DEHP into organs, with the highest concentrations of its breakdown product found in the brain. The study suggests that microplastics may increase the delivery of harmful plastic additives to sensitive organs like the brain.

2023 Toxics 25 citations
Article Tier 2

[Exposure Pathways of Polystyrene Nanoplastics Mediate Their Cellular Distribution and Toxicity].

This study found that the route by which polystyrene nanoplastics enter the body determines which liver cell types accumulate the particles and what toxic effects occur, demonstrating that exposure pathway—not just dose—shapes nanoplastic toxicity in hepatic tissue.

2025 PubMed