Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Impact of micro- and nanoplastics on gastrointestinal diseases: Recent advances

This review summarizes how micro- and nanoplastics can harm the digestive system by causing oxidative stress, inflammation, cell death, and disruption of gut bacteria. These connected pathways can damage the intestinal lining and may contribute to conditions like inflammatory bowel disease and colorectal cancer. The findings highlight the importance of understanding how everyday plastic exposure through food and water could affect gut health over time.

2025 European Journal of Internal Medicine 7 citations
Review Tier 2

A critical review of microplastics toxicity and potential adverse outcome pathway in human gastrointestinal tract following oral exposure

This review uses an adverse outcome pathway framework to systematically evaluate how microplastics may cause harm in the human digestive system after being swallowed. The analysis found that while microplastics trigger recognized biological stress responses like cell death and inflammation, there are still major gaps in understanding exactly how they initiate damage at the molecular level. The authors emphasize that we need better data on both external exposure from food and water and internal exposure from particles crossing the gut lining to properly assess the health risks.

2023 Toxicology Letters 38 citations
Article Tier 2

Molecular insights into physiological impact of micro- and nano-plastics on the digestive system and gut-brain axis

This review evaluates molecular-level evidence on how micro- and nanoplastics affect the digestive system and the gut-brain axis after ingestion through contaminated food and water. The study describes how these particles accumulate in the gastrointestinal tract, liver, and pancreas, causing oxidative stress, gut microbiota disruption, and compromised intestinal barriers, potentially allowing particles to reach the central nervous system and contribute to neuroinflammatory conditions.

2026 Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part C Toxicology & Pharmacology
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
Systematic Review Tier 1

Effect of microplastics and nanoplastics in gastrointestinal tract on gut health: A systematic review.

This systematic review of 30 in vitro studies found that microplastics and nanoplastics cause size- and concentration-dependent damage to human gastrointestinal cells, including increased oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, inflammation, and apoptosis. Smaller particles consistently showed greater cellular uptake and biological effects, though chronic low-dose exposure generally produced minimal impacts.

2025 The Malaysian journal of pathology
Article Tier 2

Micro(nano)plastics in food system: potential health impacts on human intestinal system.

This review assessed how micro(nano)plastics in the human food system reach the intestine and accumulate in the gut, summarizing evidence that they can alter intestinal barrier function, trigger inflammation, and disrupt the gut microbiome, with implications for long-term digestive health.

2024 Critical reviews in food science and nutrition
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

Health implications of microplastic exposure and sustainable solutions

This review explores the various pathways by which microplastics contaminate aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems through human activities, and how they accumulate in the food chain. Researchers summarize the health implications of microplastic exposure through mechanisms like oxidative stress, gut microbiome disruption, and inflammation. The study emphasizes the need for standardized detection methods and stronger regulatory frameworks to address microplastic contamination in the human food supply.

2026 Environmental Sciences Europe
Article Tier 2

Microplastics, Endocrine Disruptors, and Oxidative Stress: Mechanisms and Health Implications

This review examines how microplastics and nanoplastics trigger oxidative stress as a central mechanism of toxicity across multiple organ systems, including reproductive, cardiovascular, hepatic, and neurological tissues. The study highlights that these particles often carry endocrine-disrupting chemicals like bisphenol A and phthalates, which together generate reactive oxygen species, impair mitochondrial function, and compromise antioxidant defenses.

2025 International Journal of Molecular Sciences 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

Adverse Outcome Phenomena and Toxicity Mechanisms of Micro and Nanoplastics in Human Health

This review examines the growing evidence that micro- and nanoplastics can enter the human body through food, water, and air, and may contribute to harmful biological effects. Researchers found that these tiny particles can trigger oxidative stress, inflammation, and disruption of hormonal and immune systems in laboratory studies. The study highlights the need for a unified research approach to better understand how microplastic exposure may affect long-term human health.

2024 Nano LIFE 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Cellular and Systemic Effects of Micro- and Nanoplastics in Mammals—What We Know So Far

This review summarized known cellular and systemic effects of micro- and nanoplastics in mammals, finding that while ingestion is common, knowledge of health impacts remains limited, with oxidative stress and inflammation as the most reported biological responses.

2023 Materials 13 citations
Systematic Review Tier 1

Molecular and Cellular Effects of Microplastics and Nanoplastics in the Pathogenesis of Cardiovascular, Nervous, Urinary, Digestive, and Reproductive System Diseases: A Global Systematic Review

This systematic review examines how micro- and nanoplastics cause damage at the cellular level across multiple body systems, including the heart, brain, kidneys, gut, and reproductive organs. The key mechanisms include oxidative stress, inflammation, and disruption of protective barriers in the body, suggesting that ongoing plastic exposure may contribute to a wide range of health problems.

2025 International Journal of Molecular Sciences 1 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
Article Tier 2

Mechanisms of microplastics on gastrointestinal injury and liver metabolism disorder (Review)

This review summarizes how microplastics and nanoplastics can damage the gastrointestinal tract and disrupt liver metabolism when they enter the human body. The particles trigger oxidative stress, inflammation, and cell death in gut tissues, and can interfere with how the liver processes glucose and fats. As plastics continue to break down into ever-smaller particles, the potential for harm increases because nanoplastics can penetrate cells more easily.

2025 Molecular Medicine Reports 20 citations
Review Tier 2

A review on microplastics and nanoplastics in the environment: Their occurrence, exposure routes, toxic studies, and potential effects on human health

This review summarizes what is known about how microplastics and nanoplastics enter the human body through food, air, and skin contact, and what they do once inside. Studies on cells and animals show these tiny particles can cause oxidative stress, DNA damage, inflammation, and harm to the immune, digestive, reproductive, and nervous systems. The research makes clear that microplastics are not just an environmental problem but a direct concern for human health.

2022 Marine Pollution Bulletin 379 citations
Article Tier 2

Toxicological impact of microplastics and nanoplastics on humans: understanding the mechanistic aspect of the interaction

This review explains the different ways microplastics and nanoplastics cause harm in the human body, including triggering oxidative stress, inflammation, DNA damage, and disruption of gut bacteria. The smaller the plastic particle, the more easily it crosses biological barriers like the gut wall and blood-brain barrier, potentially reaching organs throughout the body. The authors highlight that the COVID-19 pandemic significantly increased plastic waste, adding to the growing burden of human microplastic exposure.

2023 Frontiers in Toxicology 75 citations
Systematic Review Tier 1

Adverse outcome pathways potentially related to hazard identification of microplastics based on toxicity mechanisms

Microplastic toxicology research has focused primarily on apical endpoints (mortality, growth, reproduction) rather than mechanisms, but this review identifies reactive oxygen species formation as the likely molecular initiating event in adverse outcome pathways, leading to oxidative stress, inflammation, and organ-level damage.

2019 Chemosphere 233 citations
Article Tier 2

Toxicity Induced by Micro-and Nanoplastics through Oxidative Stress: The Role of Co-Exposure to Other Chemical Pollutants

This review examined how micro- and nanoplastics cause oxidative stress — a form of cellular damage — in living organisms, particularly when combined with other chemical pollutants in the environment. Co-exposure to microplastics and chemicals like pesticides or heavy metals tends to be more damaging than either pollutant alone.

2021 International Journal of Zoology and Animal Biology 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Immunotoxicity by Microplastics

This review examines how microplastics and nanoplastics, after entering the body through the gut, lungs, or skin, can disrupt the immune system by triggering inflammation, causing oxidative stress (cellular damage from unstable molecules), and impairing immune cell function, while highlighting major gaps in our understanding of these long-term health effects.

2025 International Journal of Zoological Investigations
Systematic Review Tier 1

Biomarkers of oxidative stress, inflammation, and genotoxicity to assess exposure to micro- and nanoplastics. A literature review

This systematic review summarizes research on biomarkers that can measure oxidative stress, inflammation, and DNA damage caused by micro and nanoplastic exposure. Identifying reliable biomarkers is a crucial step toward understanding exactly how microplastics affect human health and developing tools to monitor exposure in people.

2023 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 41 citations
Article Tier 2

Micro(nano)plastics and Their Potential Impact on Human Gut Health: A Narrative Review

This review summarizes research on how micro- and nanoplastics affect the gut, finding that they can damage the intestinal lining, trigger immune responses, and disrupt the balance of beneficial gut bacteria in both cell studies and animal models. Since humans are primarily exposed to microplastics through food and food packaging, understanding these gut effects is essential for assessing the true health risks of plastic pollution.

2024 Current Issues in Molecular Biology 62 citations
Article Tier 2

Micro- and nanoplastics with diverse sizes and chemical structures compromise barrier integrity, cause extensive epithelial cell injury, and induce oxidative and endoplasmic reticulum stress

Researchers exposed human gut epithelial cells, peripheral blood cells, and nasal organoids to microplastics and nanoplastics of different sizes and polymer types, measuring barrier function, cell injury, and oxidative stress. All particle types compromised barrier integrity and caused cell injury, with smaller particles and higher exposures producing the most severe effects and triggering endoplasmic reticulum stress alongside oxidative damage.

2025 Bursa Uludag University - AVESIS
Article Tier 2

Effects of microplastics and nanoplastics on marine environment and human health

This review examines the effects of micro- and nanoplastics on marine environments and human health, covering sources, environmental fate, and biological impacts. Researchers summarize evidence that these particles can cause oxidative stress, inflammation, and disruption of gut microbiota in exposed organisms. The study highlights that while the full extent of health risks remains uncertain, the pervasive presence of plastic particles in food, water, and air makes continued research a public health priority.

2020 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 237 citations