Papers

61,005 results
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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

In situ imaging of microplastics in living organisms based on mass spectrometry technology

Researchers reviewed mass spectrometry-based imaging techniques for detecting microplastics inside living organisms, comparing different ion source methods for their ability to visualize plastic particles in biological tissue. They found that these techniques can provide both spatial distribution maps and chemical composition analysis of microplastics at high resolution. The study suggests that mass spectrometry imaging could become a powerful tool for understanding how microplastics accumulate and distribute within living systems.

2024 Eco-Environment & Health 11 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

Metabolomics Approach in Environmental Studies: Methodologies, Application and Challenges

This review examines how metabolomics, the study of small molecules in biological systems, is being applied to environmental research to understand how chemical pollutants including microplastics affect organism metabolism. The study highlights metabolomics as a valuable tool for assessing the biological effects of environmental exposures at the molecular level, helping researchers identify biomarkers of pollutant exposure in both wildlife and humans.

2025 Critical Reviews in Analytical Chemistry 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Numerical Study towards In Vivo Tracking of Micro-/Nanoplastic Based on X-ray Fluorescence Imaging

Researchers conducted numerical simulations to evaluate X-ray fluorescence imaging as a method for tracking micro- and nanoplastic particles inside living organisms. The study found that by labeling plastic particles with detectable metal elements, it would be possible to map their distribution across organs with high spatial resolution. The approach could provide precise measurements of how plastic particles cross biological barriers and accumulate in tissues over time.

2024 Biomedicines 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Outi Keinänen

Researcher Outi Keinanen is developing radiochemical labeling methods to track microplastics as they move through living organisms, aiming to clarify the health effects of plastic particles in organs and tissues.

2024 C&EN Global Enterprise
Article Tier 2

Synchrotron-based Spectromicroscopy for Microplastic Detection and Characterization

Researchers reviewed how synchrotron-based imaging techniques — which use powerful X-ray beams to see extremely fine details — can detect and chemically identify micro- and nanoplastics that conventional methods miss, including plastics absorbed into biological tissues. These high-resolution tools are still in early stages but show strong potential for mapping microplastic contamination at the nanoscale.

2025 Economic and Environmental Geology
Article Tier 2

Radiolabeling of Micro-/Nanoplastics via In-Diffusion

Researchers developed a radiolabeling method for micro- and nanoplastics by introducing a 64Cu radiotracer into common plastics including polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, and others via an in-diffusion technique. The approach provides a sensitive and selective detection strategy for tracking plastic particles in complex ecological media, addressing a key challenge in environmental impact research.

2023 Nanomaterials 5 citations
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

Chemical Fingerprinting: Advances in Analytical Techniques for Environmental Monitoring

This review examines advances in chemical fingerprinting techniques, including mass spectrometry and NMR spectroscopy, for identifying and tracking pollutants in the environment. Researchers discuss how these analytical methods can be applied to monitor complex chemical mixtures including microplastics across environmental media. The study suggests that improved fingerprinting approaches could enhance our ability to trace pollution sources and assess ecological risks.

2025 Revista latinoamericana de química 1 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

From the synthesis of labeled nanoplastic model materials (isotopic and metallic) to their use in ecotoxicological studies with the detection and quantification analytical methods.

Researchers synthesized isotopically and metallically labeled nanoplastic model materials to enable tracking and quantification of plastic nanoparticles in complex biological and environmental matrices at trace concentrations. The labeled models supported mechanistic studies of nanoplastic fate and exposure by allowing detection at environmentally relevant concentrations not achievable with conventional unlabeled particles.

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

Synthesis of near-infrared-fluorophore-loaded microplastics with different compositions for in vivo tracking

Researchers synthesised fluorescent microplastic particles of different polymer types that can be tracked inside living animals using near-infrared imaging, creating a tool for studying how microplastics move through and accumulate within biological tissues. These model particles help researchers understand real-world microplastic behaviour inside organisms, which is critical for assessing health risks.

2026 Environmental Science Advances
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

Exploring New Frontiers in Marine Radioisotope Tracing – Adapting to New Opportunities and Challenges

This review examined how radioisotope tracing techniques developed over 150 years are adapting to new opportunities in marine and coastal science, covering applications from cellular-level studies to ocean basin-scale environmental tracing. The authors explored how nuclear techniques can be applied to understand how aquatic organisms respond to stressors including plastic pollution.

2020 Frontiers in Marine Science 22 citations
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

From the synthesis of labeled nanoplastic model materials (isotopic and metallic) to their use in ecotoxicological studies with the detection and quantification analytical methods.

This study developed labeled nanoplastic model materials using isotopic and metallic tracers to enable tracking and quantification of nanoplastics in complex biological and environmental matrices at environmentally relevant concentrations. Labeled particles allowed localization and measurement of nanoplastics at levels not detectable by conventional methods, advancing mechanistic exposure studies.

2024 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
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

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

An effective method to assess the sorption dynamics of PCB radiotracers onto plastic and sediment microparticles

Scientists developed a radiotracer method using PCB isotopes to precisely measure how quickly toxic chemicals sorb onto microplastics and sediment particles in seawater. Understanding sorption-desorption rates is critical for predicting how much toxic chemical exposure marine organisms receive from microplastic ingestion.

2021 MethodsX 11 citations
Article Tier 2

Study on toxicity effects of environmental pollutants based on metabolomics: A review

This review examines how metabolomics, a technology that measures changes in small molecules within organisms, is being used to study the toxic effects of environmental pollutants including microplastics, heavy metals, and pesticides. Researchers found that metabolomics can reveal subtle biological changes caused by pollutant exposure that traditional methods might miss. The study highlights metabolomics as a powerful tool for understanding how environmental contaminants disrupt normal biological processes at the molecular level.

2021 Chemosphere 116 citations
Article Tier 2

Detection of nano- and microplastics in mammalian tissue

This review examined methods for detecting nano- and microplastics in mammalian tissue, surveying analytical approaches as concerns grow about accumulation in biological systems. The paper discussed how continuous fragmentation and environmental accumulation are increasing the likelihood of tissue uptake across multiple organ systems.

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

A Transformative Perspective on Aggregation-Induced Emission Bioimaging: Illuminating the Complex Pathways of Metal Nanomaterial Toxicology

This review is not primarily about microplastics; it examines how aggregation-induced emission (AIE) bioimaging techniques can be used to track the toxicology of engineered metal nanomaterials in biological systems, with no direct focus on plastic pollution.

2026 Environmental Science Nano
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