Papers

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Article Tier 2

Interactions of polystyrene nanoplastics with in vitro models of the human intestinal barrier

Researchers assessed the effects of polystyrene nanoparticles on two in vitro models simulating the human intestinal barrier and its associated immune system. The study found that while cell viability and membrane integrity were largely maintained, the nanoparticles were able to interact with and translocate across the intestinal cell layers, raising questions about potential long-term exposure effects.

2020 Archives of Toxicology 169 citations
Article Tier 2

Changes of physico-chemical properties of nano-biomaterials by digestion fluids affect the physiological properties of epithelial intestinal cells and barrier models

Researchers found that when nano-sized biomaterials pass through simulated digestive fluids, their physical and chemical properties change in ways that affect how intestinal cells respond to them. This highlights the importance of testing ingested nanoparticles — including nanoplastics — through realistic digestion conditions before drawing conclusions about their safety.

2022 Particle and Fibre Toxicology 28 citations
Article Tier 2

The potential effects of in vitro digestion on the physicochemical and biological characteristics of polystyrene nanoplastics

Researchers studied how the human digestive process changes the physical and biological properties of polystyrene nanoplastics. They found that digestive fluids altered the surface characteristics of the particles, potentially affecting how they interact with gut cells. The study suggests that the form of nanoplastics that actually reaches our intestines may behave differently than the pristine particles typically used in lab studies.

2023 Environmental Pollution 30 citations
Article Tier 2

Gastrointestinal digestion potentiates nanoplastic-induced intestinal barrier dysfunction and macrophage-driven inflammation

Researchers studied how the digestive process changes nanoplastics and affects their toxicity in the gut. They found that simulated gastrointestinal digestion altered the surface properties of polystyrene, PVC, and PET nanoplastics, making them more readily absorbed by intestinal cells and triggering stronger inflammatory responses. The study suggests that the way our bodies process nanoplastics during digestion may actually increase their potential to disrupt the gut barrier and cause inflammation.

2026 Journal of Hazardous Materials 1 citations
Article Tier 2

The Role of the Size and Surface Chemistry of Polystyrene Micro- and Nanobeads in the Interaction with an Advanced In Vitro Tri-Culture Intestinal Barrier Model

Researchers studied how the size and surface chemistry of polystyrene micro- and nanobeads affect their interaction with an advanced three-cell-type intestinal barrier model. The study examined how particle characteristics influence uptake, barrier integrity, and inflammatory responses in the gut lining. The findings suggest that both size and surface modifications play important roles in determining how plastic particles interact with intestinal tissue.

2026 Microplastics
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

Biological effects of polystyrene micro- and nano-plastics on human intestinal organoid-derived epithelial tissue models without and with M cells.

Researchers exposed human intestinal organoid-derived epithelial tissue models with and without M cells to polystyrene micro- and nano-plastics, finding that nano-plastics caused greater disruption of barrier integrity and uptake than micro-plastics, and that M cell-containing models showed enhanced particle translocation compared to standard epithelial models.

2023 Nanomedicine : nanotechnology, biology, and medicine
Article Tier 2

Mechanisms of ingested polystyrene micro-nanoplastics (MNPs) uptake and translocation in an in vitro tri-culture small intestinal epithelium

Researchers used a sophisticated laboratory model of the human small intestine to study how micro- and nanoplastics cross the gut barrier after simulated digestion. They found that smaller nanoplastics were absorbed more efficiently than larger microplastics, and the particles used multiple cellular pathways to cross the intestinal lining. The study provides new evidence about the mechanisms by which ingested plastic particles could potentially reach the bloodstream.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 32 citations
Article Tier 2

Impact of food matrices on the characteristics and cellular toxicities of ingested nanoplastics in a simulated digestive tract

Researchers investigated how different food components affect the toxicity of polystyrene nanoplastics as they pass through a simulated human digestive system. They found that fat molecules helped stabilize and disperse the nanoplastics during digestion, increasing their uptake by intestinal cells and worsening cellular damage. The study suggests that the type of food consumed alongside nanoplastic-contaminated items could significantly influence how much harm the particles cause in the gut.

2023 Food and Chemical Toxicology 24 citations
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

Influence of the digestive process on intestinal toxicity of polystyrene microplastics as determined by in vitro Caco-2 models

Researchers studied how the human digestive process transforms polystyrene microplastics and affects their intestinal toxicity using in vitro Caco-2 cell models. The study found that digestion formed a corona on microplastic surfaces without altering their chemical composition, and that smaller particles (100 nm) showed higher toxicity than larger ones (5 micrometers) regardless of digestive treatment.

2020 Chemosphere 135 citations
Article Tier 2

Exposure of Polystyrene Nano- and Microplastics in Increasingly Complex In Vitro Intestinal Cell Models

Researchers tested polystyrene nano- and microplastics across increasingly realistic models of the human intestine and found that only the smallest particles (50 nm) could cross the intestinal barrier. A mucus layer -- like the one in real human guts -- significantly reduced particle crossing, which is reassuring but highlights the need for more research on long-term, real-world exposure levels.

2025 Nanomaterials 19 citations
Article Tier 2

Comparative evaluation of molecular mechanisms triggered by differently functionalized polystyrene nanoplastics in human colon cell lines

Researchers compared the molecular mechanisms triggered by polystyrene nanoplastics with different surface functionalization in human colon cell lines. The study examined how surface chemistry of nanoplastic particles influences their biological interactions with intestinal cells, contributing to understanding of how nanoplastics may affect the human gastrointestinal system.

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

Impact of a real food matrix and in vitro digestion on properties and acute toxicity of polystyrene microparticles

Researchers examined how interaction with milk as a real food matrix and subsequent digestion affects the properties and toxicity of polystyrene microparticles. The study found that milk proteins form a corona on the particles that alters their surface charge and behavior, suggesting that the food context significantly influences how microplastics behave in the gastrointestinal tract.

2023 NanoImpact 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Digestion of microplastics with simulated gastrointestinal conditions mitigates uptake by intestinal epithelial cells: Quantified by imaging flow cytometry

Researchers studied how simulated digestion affects the uptake of microplastics by intestinal cells. They found that microplastics that had been through a simulated digestive process were taken up at significantly lower rates compared to pristine particles. The findings suggest that digestive conditions may reduce how many microplastics actually cross the intestinal barrier, which is important for understanding real-world human exposure.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Interactions between polystyrene nanoparticles and human intestinal epithelial Caco-2 cells

Researchers traced how 70 nm polystyrene nanoplastics enter and exit human intestinal Caco-2 cells, finding that particles accumulate in lysosomes and mitochondria over 72 hours and are cleared primarily through the lysosomal pathway, with serum in the medium inhibiting that clearance.

2025 NanoImpact 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Digestion of Polystyrene Nanoparticles in a Whey Protein Drink. a Simulated in Vitro Gastrointestinal Digestion Using a Batch Infogest Model Combined with Cell Absorption Experiments

This study tracked polystyrene nano- and microplastic particles through a simulated digestive process mixed with a whey protein drink, then tested whether the particles could be absorbed by human intestinal cells. The work contributes to understanding how dietary microplastics survive digestion and whether they can pass through the gut lining into the body.

2022 CNR ExploRA
Article Tier 2

Exploring the role of real food matrices on the behavior and toxicity of polystyrene nanoplastics during digestion simulation

Researchers investigated how polystyrene nanoplastics behave and affect cells when consumed alongside real food, using milk as the test matrix, during simulated digestion. They found that food proteins and digestive enzymes formed a coating around the nanoplastics that changed their aggregation behavior and reduced their toxicity compared to nanoplastics alone. The study suggests that the presence of food during digestion may significantly alter how nanoplastics interact with the body, an important factor often overlooked in toxicity studies.

2025 NanoImpact 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Fate, uptake and impact of fit-for-purpose nanoplastics on the digestive environment: an in vitro-in vivo continuum study

Researchers used fluorescently and gold-labeled polystyrene nanoplastics as models to study how these particles behave in the digestive environment and what effects they have on gut health. The study revealed that nanoplastics interact with the digestive system in ways that depend on particle labeling and surface properties.

2024 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Comparative evaluation of molecular mechanisms triggered by differently functionalized polystyrene nanoplastics in human colon cell lines

Researchers compared molecular and cellular mechanisms triggered by differently surface-functionalized micro- and nanoplastics in human intestinal and liver cells, finding that surface chemistry strongly determines biological effects. Functionalized particles elicited distinct patterns of oxidative stress, inflammation, and membrane damage compared to unfunctionalized particles.

2024 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Investigations of acute effects of polystyrene and polyvinyl chloride micro- and nanoplastics in an advanced in vitro triple culture model of the healthy and inflamed intestine

Researchers tested the acute toxicity of polystyrene and polyvinyl chloride micro- and nanoparticles using an advanced triple-culture model of the human intestinal barrier, including both healthy and inflamed conditions. They found that the plastic particles did not cause significant acute toxicity at the concentrations tested, though the inflamed intestinal model showed greater particle uptake. The study suggests that while short-term exposure may not cause immediate damage, chronic exposure and pre-existing inflammation could influence how the body handles ingested microplastics.

2020 Environmental Research 161 citations
Article Tier 2

Uptake and toxicity of polystyrene micro/nanoplastics in gastric cells: Effects of particle size and surface functionalization

Researchers evaluated the uptake and toxicity of polystyrene micro- and nanoplastics in human gastric cells, comparing different sizes and surface treatments. The study found that smaller 50-nanometer particles were taken up at significantly higher rates, with positively charged aminated particles being the most toxic, causing cytotoxicity at lower concentrations and higher rates of cell death.

2021 PLoS ONE 96 citations
Article Tier 2

Functionalized polystyrene nanoplastics induce distinct toxicity and transcriptomic changes in human intestinal Caco-2 cells

Researchers exposed human intestinal Caco-2 cells to polystyrene nanoplastics with different surface functionalizations (plain, aminated, carboxylated) and assessed cytotoxicity, cellular uptake, and transcriptomic responses. Surface chemistry strongly determined both uptake efficiency and the pattern of gene expression changes, with aminated particles inducing the most severe cytotoxic and inflammatory responses.

2025 Microplastics and Nanoplastics
Article Tier 2

Micro- and nanoplastics differ in particle-mucus interactions: The sight on rheological properties, barrier dysfunction and microbiota dysbiosis

Researchers compared how micro- and nanoplastics interact with the protective mucus layer lining the intestines and found that nanoplastics were wrapped in mucus while microplastics were not. Both particle sizes disrupted the gut barrier and altered the gut microbiome in mice at environmentally relevant doses, but through different mechanisms. The study suggests that the mucus layer, a key line of defense in the gut, responds differently depending on plastic particle size, with implications for understanding how ingested plastics may affect digestive health.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials 4 citations