Papers

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Article Tier 2

Preliminary Study of Microplastic in Allergic Rhinitis

Researchers compared microplastic concentrations in the nasal cavities of patients with allergic rhinitis versus healthy individuals. They found significantly higher levels of microplastics in the noses of people with the allergic condition. This preliminary finding suggests a potential connection between microplastic exposure in the nasal passages and allergic airway conditions, though more research is needed to understand the relationship.

2025 Ear Nose & Throat Journal 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Effect of Microplastic Inhalation on Allergic and Nonallergic Rhinitis

Researchers analyzed nasal lavage samples from rhinitis patients and healthy controls, finding significantly higher microplastic concentrations in both allergic and nonallergic rhinitis groups compared to controls. Younger participants and those with more severe symptoms tended to have higher microplastic levels in their nasal passages. The study suggests that inhaled microplastics may play a role in nasal inflammation, though more research is needed to establish a direct cause-and-effect relationship.

2025 American Journal of Rhinology and Allergy 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Evaluation of nasal microplastic densities in patients with acute and chronic rhinitis

Researchers compared microplastic concentrations in the nasal passages of patients with acute versus chronic rhinitis. They found higher microplastic densities in patients with acute inflammation, suggesting that these particles may play a role in triggering or worsening nasal flare-ups. The findings point to a need for further research into how inhaled microplastics could affect upper respiratory health over time.

2025 Acta Oto-Laryngologica 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Detection of microplastics in human nasal mucosa

Microplastic particles were detected for the first time in human nasal mucosa samples, with polymer types and concentrations quantified, providing direct evidence that the upper respiratory tract is a site of microplastic deposition from inhaled air.

2024 Laryngo-Rhino-Otologie
Article Tier 2

Microplastic exposure in the lungs of young children and its associations with allergic rhinitis: A cross-sectional study in China

Researchers measured microplastics in lung fluid collected from 207 children in China and found that higher concentrations of certain plastics, particularly polyamide 66, were associated with increased rates of allergic rhinitis. The association was strongest in children aged six and under. The study suggests that microplastic exposure in young lungs may be linked to a higher risk of allergic respiratory conditions in early childhood.

2025 Eco-Environment & Health 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Identification and characterization of microplastics in human nasal samples

Researchers collected samples from human nasal cavities and confirmed the presence of microplastics, with polyethylene, polyester, acrylic, and polypropylene being the most common types. This finding adds the nose to the growing list of human body sites where microplastics have been detected, raising questions about potential health effects on the respiratory system.

2024 International Forum of Allergy & Rhinology 24 citations
Article Tier 2

Role of Microplastics in Chronic Rhinosinusitis Without Nasal Polyps

This clinical study investigated the potential role of microplastics in chronic rhinosinusitis without nasal polyps, examining whether microplastic exposure may contribute to persistent nasal inflammation.

2023 The Laryngoscope 24 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of microplastics on allergic airways and potential pathogenesis: a review

This review examines how microplastics, which can enter the body through breathing, eating, and skin contact, may affect allergic airway conditions. Researchers found evidence that microplastics can damage airway lining cells, disrupt the protective barrier of the respiratory tract, and trigger heightened airway reactivity. The study suggests that chronic microplastic exposure may worsen allergic airway inflammation, though more research is needed to fully understand the mechanisms involved.

2025 Environmental Geochemistry and Health 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in Allergic Rhinitis: Multimechanistic Drivers of Barrier Disruption and Immune Dysregulation

This review examines the multimechanistic pathways by which microplastics drive barrier disruption and immune dysregulation in allergic rhinitis, considering how physical and chemical properties of microplastic particles interact with nasal epithelial and immune function. The paper synthesizes emerging evidence on microplastics as a novel contributor to upper airway allergic disease.

2025 Immunology
Article Tier 2

Progress in understanding the impact of microplastics on respiratory allergic diseases

This review synthesized evidence on how airborne microplastics may affect respiratory allergic diseases such as allergic rhinitis and asthma. Researchers found that inhaled microplastics can compromise airway barriers by disrupting tight junctions, impairing mucus clearance, and weakening mucosal defenses. The study suggests that microplastic characteristics like polymer type, particle size, and surface chemistry influence how they initiate or worsen respiratory allergic responses.

2026 Chinese Science Bulletin (Chinese Version)
Article Tier 2

Nasal lavage technique reveals regular inhalation exposure of microplastics, not associated from face mask use

Researchers used nasal lavage, a technique that rinses the nasal cavity, to measure microplastics that people inhale during normal daily activities. They found an average of about 28 microplastic particles per sample across all participants, with eight different polymer types detected. Notably, the study found no significant difference in microplastic levels between different types of face masks, suggesting that everyday environmental exposure is the primary source of inhaled microplastics rather than mask materials.

2023 Environment International 20 citations
Article Tier 2

Airborne microplastics: Consequences to human health?

Researchers reviewed existing evidence on airborne microplastics and their potential effects on human respiratory health. Studies of workers exposed to plastic fibers and particles have documented airway inflammation and breathing difficulties, suggesting that susceptible individuals may face health risks even from environmental concentrations. The paper calls for greater awareness and future research into the health consequences of inhaling microplastic particles.

2017 Environmental Pollution 1580 citations
Article Tier 2

Inflammatory Effects of Microplastics and Nanoplastics on Nasal Airway Epithelial Cells

Researchers found that polystyrene micro- and nanoplastics cause inflammatory cytokine responses in nasal epithelial cells even over short exposure periods. The study also observed ciliary blunting and transcriptional evidence of significant inflammation and stress responses, suggesting that the nasal airway is vulnerable to plastic particle exposure.

2025 International Forum of Allergy & Rhinology 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Exposure to microplastics in the upper respiratory tract of indoor and outdoor workers

Researchers measured microplastic presence in the upper respiratory tracts of indoor office workers and outdoor couriers using nasal lavage and sputum samples. The study found microplastics in both groups, with office workers showing significantly higher nasal contamination than couriers, and the dominant plastic types differing between indoor and outdoor workers.

2022 Chemosphere 71 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in different nasal irrigation options

Researchers analyzed 150 samples of nasal irrigation products commonly used for sinusitis and rhinitis treatment to assess their microplastic content. They found an average of 6.49 microplastics per product, with nasal wash bottles containing the highest levels (up to 92 particles per product) while syringes had the lowest. The study highlights that nasal irrigation methods can be a direct route of microplastic exposure to the human respiratory tract.

2024 European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Airway exposure to microplastics: Potential mechanisms from epithelial barrier damage to the development of allergic rhinitis

This review summarized the mechanisms by which airborne microplastic exposure triggers allergic rhinitis, identifying pathways including physical and chemical disruption of the airway epithelial barrier, oxidative stress from adsorbed pollutants, and induction of Th2 immune responses and IgE class-switching. The findings support airborne MPs as a novel trigger for upper respiratory allergic disease.

2025 Environmental Research
Article Tier 2

Detection of Microplastics in Human Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid: Preliminary Evidence of Respiratory Exposure to Environmental Contaminants

Researchers analyzed bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from eight adult patients undergoing diagnostic bronchoscopy and detected microplastics in the samples using microscopy, providing preliminary direct evidence that airborne microplastics deposit in the human respiratory tract.

2025 Cureus
Article Tier 2

Microplastics exposed by respiratory tract and exacerbation of community-acquired pneumonia: The potential influences of respiratory microbiota and inflammatory factors

Researchers found that microplastics were present in the lungs of pneumonia patients, and that patients with severe pneumonia had higher levels of microplastics in their airways than those with milder cases. The microplastics appeared to worsen lung infections by disrupting the balance of airway bacteria and increasing inflammation. This study provides early evidence that inhaled microplastics may make respiratory infections more dangerous in humans.

2025 Environment International 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Impact of Microplastic Exposure on Airway Inflammation in an Acute Asthma Murine Model

Mouse experiments found that microplastic exposure worsened inflammatory responses in healthy lungs but did not further aggravate airway inflammation in mice with pre-existing asthma, suggesting the lung's response to microplastics depends on baseline immune state.

2025 Tuberculosis & respiratory diseases
Article Tier 2

The Effects of Microplastics and Nanoplastics in the Nasal Airway and Upper Respiratory Tract

This review examines the effects of airborne microplastics on the upper respiratory tract and nasal region, an area largely overlooked despite being the initial point of contact with inhaled particles. The literature collectively indicates that microplastics may cause changes in cell morphology, cytotoxicity, and inflammatory effects in nasal tissues, with potential impacts on patient quality of life.

2025 Sinusitis 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Study of suspended microplastics in indoor air to assess human exposure through inhalation

Researchers investigated suspended microplastics in indoor air to assess the extent of human exposure through inhalation. The study quantified airborne microplastic particles in indoor settings, providing data on a potentially important but understudied route of daily microplastic intake for the general population.

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

Microplastics and airway inflammatory profile in obstructive sleep apnea

Researchers analyzed nasal lavage samples from 42 obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patients — half using CPAP therapy — and measured microplastic content and inflammation markers. CPAP users had higher MP levels in nasal lavage fluid, and MP presence correlated with airway inflammatory markers, suggesting CPAP therapy may increase microplastic exposure in the upper airways.

2025 Sleep Science
Article Tier 2

Breathing plastics: Influence of airborne microplastics on the respiratory microbiome and health of human lungs (Review)

Researchers reviewed evidence showing that inhaled airborne microplastics can physically interact with the microbial community living in human lungs, disrupting its balance and triggering inflammation linked to conditions like asthma and fibrosis. Because microplastic particles have been found in lung tissue and fluid samples, inhalation is now recognized as a significant exposure route with measurable consequences for respiratory health.

2026 World Academy of Sciences Journal
Article Tier 2

Detrimental effects of microplastic exposure on normal and asthmatic pulmonary physiology

Researchers exposed both healthy and asthmatic mice to airborne microplastics and found significant lung inflammation, immune activation, and increased mucus production in both groups. Microplastic particles were taken up by immune cells called macrophages, and gene analysis revealed changes in immune response, cellular stress, and cell death pathways. The study suggests that inhaling microplastics may worsen respiratory health in both normal and vulnerable populations.

2021 Journal of Hazardous Materials 207 citations