Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Micro- and nanoplastic induced cellular toxicity in mammals: A review

This review examines research on how micro- and nanoplastics cause cellular damage in mammalian systems, covering both laboratory and animal studies. Evidence indicates that these particles can trigger oxidative stress, inflammation, and DNA damage in cells, with smaller nanoplastics generally showing greater toxicity due to their ability to penetrate cell membranes more readily.

2020 The Science of The Total Environment 449 citations
Article Tier 2

Cellular and Systemic Impacts of Microplastics and Nanoplastics

This review synthesized evidence on how micro- and nanoplastics cause cellular and systemic harm through inflammation, oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and endocrine disruption across multiple organ systems. The authors emphasize that exposure is ubiquitous and that health impacts are no longer speculative.

2025 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Cellular Impact of Micro(nano)plastics on Human Health: A Review.

This review examined how micro(nano)plastics (MNPs) entering the human body through ingestion, inhalation, and skin contact affect cells and tissues. It synthesized evidence of oxidative stress, inflammation, DNA damage, and endocrine disruption associated with MNP exposure.

2025 Toxics
Article Tier 2

Micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs) and their potential toxicological outcomes: State of science, knowledge gaps and research needs

This review summarizes what is known about the toxicity of micro- and nanoplastics in mammals, drawing from both cell studies and animal experiments. Evidence suggests these particles can cause inflammation, oxidative stress, gut disruption, and reproductive harm, with effects depending on particle size, shape, and chemical composition. However, most studies use uniform lab-made particles rather than the irregular plastics humans actually encounter, making real-world risk assessment challenging.

2023 NanoImpact 76 citations
Article Tier 2

Cellular and Systemic Impacts of Microplastics and Nanoplastics

This review systematically examined the cellular and systemic health impacts of micro- and nanoplastics, covering uptake mechanisms, organ distribution, and effects on inflammation, oxidative stress, and endocrine function. The authors conclude that MNPs pose credible risks to multiple body systems and call for stronger regulatory action.

2025 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms of Micro- and Nanoplastics Driving Adverse Human Health Effects

This review examines the biological mechanisms by which micro- and nanoplastics may cause harm in humans, including oxidative stress, inflammation, disruption of protective barriers, and immune system problems. Evidence from lab and animal studies suggests these particles can affect the gut, heart, brain, and reproductive systems, though human data is still limited to detecting plastics in tissues rather than proving they cause specific diseases. The authors highlight that most studies use higher doses than people actually encounter, making it important to develop research models that better reflect real-world chronic exposure.

2025 Toxics 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Human exposure to micro- and nanoplastic: biological effects and health consequence

This review summarized the biological effects and health consequences of human exposure to micro- and nanoplastics, covering routes of uptake (ingestion, inhalation, dermal), cellular toxicity mechanisms, and systemic health risks identified in recent experimental and epidemiological studies.

2023 Reviews in Biological and Biomedical Sciences 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Micro- and nano-plastics activation of oxidative and inflammatory adverse outcome pathways

This review maps the biological harm caused by micro- and nanoplastics to formal toxicity pathways, finding that oxidative stress is a common starting point for damage at every level from cells to whole organisms. Researchers found that in ecological settings, this oxidative damage cascades into growth inhibition and behavioral changes, while in human health contexts it may trigger inflammatory responses. The study highlights that more mammalian research is needed to fully define the health risks of plastic particle exposure.

2020 Redox Biology 566 citations
Article Tier 2

Recent consequences of micro-nanaoplastics (MNPLs) in subcellular/molecular environmental pollution toxicity on human and animals

This review examines the subcellular and molecular mechanisms by which micro- and nanoplastics cause toxicity in humans and animals, focusing on oxidative stress, inflammation, cell death pathways, and endocrine disruption at the cellular level.

2022 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 27 citations
Systematic Review Tier 1

A review of potential human health impacts of micro- and nanoplastics exposure

This systematic review summarized 133 studies on how micro- and nanoplastics affect human health based on mammalian research. The evidence points to cell damage, inflammation, gut disruption, and reproductive harm, though most studies focused on polystyrene particles and more research is needed on other common plastic types.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 211 citations
Article Tier 2

Plastic pollution and its pathophysiological impacts on mammalian cells

This review examines the pathophysiological impacts of microplastics and nanoplastics on mammalian cells, discussing how environmental degradation of larger plastics generates micro- and nano-scale fragments that enter organisms through ingestion, accumulate via trophic transfer, and cause cellular toxicity. The authors synthesize laboratory evidence on MP and NP interactions with mammalian cells including membrane disruption, inflammation, and genotoxicity.

2022 IARJSET
Article Tier 2

Human and ecological health effects of nanoplastics: May not be a tiny problem

This review examined the health effects of nanoplastics in humans and ecosystems, finding that while direct human evidence is limited, nanoplastic particles cross biological barriers more readily than larger fragments and trigger oxidative stress, inflammation, and endocrine disruption in animal models, suggesting the problem is far from trivial.

2021 Current Opinion in Toxicology 12 citations
Article Tier 2

Oxidative and Inflammatory Potential of Nano/Microplastics in Living Organisms

This review examines the growing body of evidence that microplastics and nanoplastics trigger oxidative stress and inflammatory responses across a wide range of animals, though the findings are often inconsistent and sometimes contradictory. The authors conclude that plastic particle weathering can alter these effects in complex ways, and call for standardized, systematic research to establish clearer dose-response relationships before firm regulatory conclusions can be drawn.

2023 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics and Nanoplastics in Health Concerning Cellular Toxicity Mechanisms, Exposure Pathways, and Global Mitigation Strategies

This review synthesizes current knowledge on how micro- and nanoplastics cause cellular damage in the human body, covering mechanisms like oxidative stress, inflammation, DNA damage, and disruption of cell signaling pathways. Researchers note that exposure occurs through multiple routes including ingestion and inhalation, allowing particles to reach organs throughout the body. The study highlights significant gaps in understanding long-term and low-dose exposure effects that are most relevant to everyday human contact with these particles.

2025 Life 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Exploring toxicological pathways of microplastics and nanoplastics: Insights from animal and cellular models

This review examines what animal and cell studies have revealed about how microplastics and nanoplastics cause harm at the molecular level, including promoting inflammation, oxidative stress, and cell death. Most research has focused on reproductive toxicity and polystyrene particles, while effects on the gut, brain, and heart remain understudied. The authors note that many experiments use unrealistic concentrations and synthetic particles, making it difficult to apply the results to real-world human exposure.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials 31 citations
Article Tier 2

Recent insights into uptake, toxicity, and molecular targets of microplastics and nanoplastics relevant to human health impacts

This review summarizes what scientists know about how tiny plastic particles enter the human body and cause harm at the cellular level, including through inflammation, oxidative stress, and disruption of important cell signaling pathways. Americans are estimated to consume tens of thousands to millions of micro- and nanoplastic particles per year, and these particles can penetrate cells and tissues throughout the body.

2023 iScience 193 citations
Article Tier 2

Effect of Nanoplastics on Different Biological Systems

This review examines how nanoplastics affect multiple biological systems — including digestive, reproductive, nervous, and immune systems — synthesizing evidence that nanoplastics cross biological barriers and cause oxidative stress, inflammation, and physiological dysfunction across species.

2025 Revista de Gestão Social e Ambiental
Article Tier 2

Ecotoxicological Impacts of Micro and Nanoplastics on Marine Fauna

This review examines the ecotoxicological impacts of micro- and nanoplastics on marine fauna, detailing how these particles enter food chains through ingestion, accumulate across trophic levels, and cause physical and chemical harm including oxidative stress, inflammation, reproductive disruption, and mortality. The authors highlight the compounding threat when plastics act as vectors for adsorbed pollutants.

2020 Examines in Marine Biology & Oceanography 17 citations
Article Tier 2

Micro- and Nanoplastics on Human Health and Diseases: Perspectives and Recent Advances

This review provides a comprehensive overview of how micro- and nanoplastics enter the human body through ingestion, inhalation, and skin absorption, and how they can then travel through the bloodstream to reach virtually every organ. Researchers summarize evidence that these particles can trigger inflammation, oxidative stress, and disruption of hormonal and immune functions. The study emphasizes that the ability of these particles to cross biological barriers and accumulate in tissues makes understanding their long-term health effects an urgent research priority.

2025 Microplastics 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Understanding the human health impacts of environmental micro- and nanoplastics

This review summarized current understanding of how micro- and nanoplastic particles enter the human body through food and air, accumulate in tissues, and cause health effects through oxidative stress, inflammation, and endocrine disruption, with a focus on gaps in knowledge about long-term human health impacts.

2025 University of Vienna
Article Tier 2

Nanoplastics in the Environment: Sources, Fate, Toxicity, Challenges and Mitigation Strategies

This review covers the formation, environmental fate, and health risks of nanoplastics, emphasizing their capacity to penetrate biological barriers and cause oxidative stress, inflammation, DNA damage, and endocrine disruption, alongside current strategies for mitigation.

2025 Asian Journal of Environment & Ecology
Article Tier 2

Biological Effects of Microplastics: A Review.

Researchers reviewed how microplastics harm a wide range of living things, finding they cause physical damage, inflammation, oxidative stress, and reproductive problems in aquatic animals, while also carrying toxic chemicals and dangerous bacteria into organisms. Major gaps remain in understanding the effects of long-term low-dose exposure and the risks posed by even tinier nanoplastics.

2025 Mağallaẗ ʻulūm al-rāfidayn
Article Tier 2

Micro and Nanoplastics on Human Health and Diseases: Perspectives and Recent Advances

This review covers how micro- and nanoplastic particles enter the human body through ingestion, inhalation, infusion, and skin absorption, distribute to virtually all tissues and organs via the circulatory system, and cause health impacts including inflammatory responses, cellular damage, and endocrine disruption.

2025 Preprints.org
Article Tier 2

Microplastic and nanoplastic transfer, accumulation, and toxicity in humans

Researchers reviewed human exposure routes to micro- and nanoplastics — via air, water, and food — and summarized reported toxicological outcomes, identifying ingestion and inhalation as primary entry points and flagging oxidative stress, inflammation, and endocrine disruption as key health concerns warranting further study.

2021 Current Opinion in Toxicology 72 citations