Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Fast-screening flow cytometry method for detecting nanoplastics in human peripheral blood

Researchers developed a flow cytometry method using a fluorescent dye to detect and measure nanoplastics — plastic particles smaller than 1 micrometer — directly in human blood samples, providing one of the first approaches capable of tracking nanoplastic absorption in people and opening new avenues for studying their health effects.

2023 MethodsX 46 citations
Article Tier 2

Quantitation of micro and nanoplastics in human blood by pyrolysis-gas chromatography–mass spectrometry

Researchers developed and validated an improved method using pyrolysis-gas chromatography to measure specific plastic polymer types in human blood, detecting plastics in 64 out of 68 blood samples tested with a mean concentration of 268 nanograms per milliliter. Polyethylene was the most common polymer found, underscoring that microplastic and nanoplastic particles are already circulating inside the human body.

2024 Microplastics and Nanoplastics 77 citations
Article Tier 2

Flow cytometry as new promising detection tool for micro and submicron plastic particles

Researchers evaluated flow cytometry as a detection tool for micro- and nanoplastics, testing its ability to rapidly identify and count plastic particles in environmental and biological samples. Results demonstrated that flow cytometry offers a promising high-throughput approach for microplastic detection compared to more time-intensive conventional methods.

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

Flow cytometry as new promising detection tool for micro and submicron plastic particles

Researchers evaluated flow cytometry as a tool for detecting and counting micro- and submicron plastic particles in environmental and biological samples. The method offered rapid throughput and the ability to distinguish plastic particles from biological material, but required careful optimization for complex matrices.

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

Rapid detection of nanoplastics and small microplastics by Nile-Red staining and flow cytometry

Researchers developed a rapid method for detecting nanoplastics and small microplastics by combining Nile-Red fluorescent staining with flow cytometry. The technique can quantify plastic particles in the 0.6 to 15 micrometer range in just 90 seconds, which is hundreds of times faster than conventional spectroscopic methods. The approach showed high detection efficiency for polyethylene, polyvinylchloride, and polystyrene, offering a practical tool for environmental nanoplastic monitoring.

2022 Environmental Chemistry Letters 65 citations
Article Tier 2

Blood uptake and urine excretion of nano- and micro-plastics after a single exposure.

Mice exposed to polystyrene nanoparticles (100 nm) and microparticles (3 µm) via different routes showed that smaller particles appeared rapidly in blood and were detected in urine, while larger particles cleared more slowly. The study provides direct evidence that nanoplastics can cross biological barriers and enter circulation, with potential for distribution throughout the body.

2022 The Science of the total environment
Article Tier 2

Novel methodology for identification and quantification of microplastics in biological samples

Researchers validated a protocol for identifying and quantifying polyethylene microplastics in biological samples, finding that membrane filtration caused particle retention problems and that flow cytometry offered a more reliable alternative for analysis of biological digests.

2021 Environmental Pollution 35 citations
Article Tier 2

Kinetics and toxicity of nanoplastics in ex vivo exposed human whole blood as a model to understand their impact on human health

Researchers exposed human whole blood to five types of nanoplastics and found that immune cells, especially monocytes, readily absorbed the particles, triggering oxidative stress and inflammatory responses. Different plastic types caused different effects: some triggered blood clotting, others caused red blood cell damage, and PLA (a "biodegradable" plastic) was among the most reactive. This study provides direct evidence that nanoplastics reaching the human bloodstream can disrupt immune cells, blood clotting, and inflammation.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 18 citations
Article Tier 2

Advancing pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry for the accurate quantification of micro- and nanoplastics in human blood

Researchers developed and refined pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (a technique that heats plastics to identify their chemical fingerprints) to more accurately measure micro- and nanoplastics directly in human blood. Improving this method is critical because reliable detection in biological samples is a key step toward understanding how much plastic exposure humans are actually experiencing.

2025 Microplastics and Nanoplastics 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Isolation and characterization of microplastics from human blood samples by confocal RAMAN microscopy

Scientists have developed a new method to reliably detect tiny plastic particles called microplastics in human blood samples. Using this technique, they found plastic particles from materials like polystyrene and polyethylene in blood, confirming that these microscopic plastics can enter our bloodstream. While we still don't know the full health effects, this research gives us better tools to study how much plastic pollution is getting into our bodies and potentially affecting our health.

2026 MethodsX
Article Tier 2

Quantitative human biomonitoring of micro- and nanoplastics: Exposure profiles, mechanistic insights, and health implications

Researchers conducted a comprehensive analysis of 70 studies that measured micro- and nanoplastics in human body samples collected between 2019 and 2025. They found plastic particles present across multiple organ systems and body fluids, with polyethylene, polypropylene, and polystyrene being the most commonly detected types. While evidence indicates potential associations with oxidative stress and inflammation, the study notes that differences in measurement methods across labs make it difficult to directly compare results, and no causal health relationships have been firmly established yet.

2026 Journal of Hazardous Materials 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Nanoplastics: Immune Impact, Detection, and Internalization after Human Blood Exposure by Single‐Cell Mass Cytometry

Using a new single-cell detection method, researchers tracked how nanoplastics interact with 37 different types of human immune cells from blood samples. The nanoplastics were absorbed by and interfered with several immune cell types, particularly monocytes, macrophages, and dendritic cells. Mouse experiments confirmed the nanoplastics accumulated in immune cells in the liver, blood, and spleen, raising concerns about how plastic exposure could disrupt immune function.

2024 Advanced Materials 25 citations
Article Tier 2

Why Detecting Nanoplastics in Humans Matters: Exposure Routes, Biological Evidence, and Potential Health Implications

This review summarizes current evidence on nanoplastic detection in human biological samples, including blood, lung tissue, placenta, and brain samples, confirming that human exposure involves internal uptake rather than just environmental contact. The study discusses how ingestion and inhalation are the dominant exposure pathways, while experimental research suggests nanoplastics may induce oxidative stress, inflammation, and endocrine disruption, though direct causal links in humans remain limited.

2026
Article Tier 2

Advancements in Assays for Micro- and Nanoplastic Detection: Paving the Way for Biomonitoring and Exposomics Studies

This review surveys the latest methods for detecting micro and nanoplastics in human tissues and bodily fluids, including blood, breast milk, stool, and lung tissue. Current detection techniques have significant limitations in sensitivity and standardization, making it difficult to accurately measure how much plastic is in people's bodies. Developing better, scalable detection methods is essential for understanding the true extent of human microplastic exposure and its health consequences.

2024 The Annual Review of Pharmacology and Toxicology 18 citations
Article Tier 2

Evaluation of Microplastic Content in Human Circulatory System and Its Potential Impacts on Systemic Health

Researchers detected microplastics in blood samples from 76% of 50 healthy adults using FTIR and Raman spectroscopy, with an average concentration of about 3 particles per milliliter. PET and polypropylene were the most common polymer types found, and the study discusses potential systemic health implications of circulating microplastics in the human body.

2026 Science Get Journal.
Systematic Review Tier 1

Unveiling the presence of micro and nanoplastics in human biological matrices: A systematic review covering the latest five years from 2020 to 2025

This systematic review covering 2020-2025 confirmed the presence of micro- and nanoplastics in human blood, placenta, lungs, liver, kidneys, and other biological matrices. The findings demonstrate that plastic particles are accumulating in human tissues through ingestion, inhalation, and dermal contact, raising urgent questions about long-term health consequences.

2025 The Science of The Total Environment 1 citations
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

A critical viewpoint on current issues, limitations, and future research needs on micro- and nanoplastic studies: From the detection to the toxicological assessment.

This critical review examines the current methods for detecting and characterizing micro- and nanoplastics in various environmental samples, as well as reported toxic effects from in vivo and in vitro studies. The authors found that while substantial effort has been made to understand microplastic behavior, the scientific community is still far from a complete understanding of how these particles behave in biological systems. The review calls for improved standardized protocols and more studies focused on uptake kinetics, accumulation, and biodistribution.

2019 Environmental Research 163 citations
Article Tier 2

Assessing the Efficacy of Pyrolysis–Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry for Nanoplastic and Microplastic Analysis in Human Blood

Researchers tested whether a common lab technique (pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry) can reliably measure nanoplastics in human blood. They found that realistic detection limits were up to 20 times higher than ideal conditions suggest, and certain common plastics like polyethylene produced false readings due to interference from blood components. The study concludes that better analytical methods are needed before we can accurately measure plastic levels in human blood.

2025 Environmental Science & Technology 64 citations
Article Tier 2

Analytical techniques for detecting micro- and nanoplastics in blood and vascular tissues: Strengths and limitations

Researchers reviewed analytical techniques for detecting micro- and nanoplastics in blood and vascular tissues, assessing each method's strengths and limitations. The study highlights that human-derived samples pose unique challenges due to limited volumes, high lipid and protein content, and contamination risks, emphasizing the need for standardized protocols to produce reliable data for cardiovascular health research.

2026 Kardiologia Polska
Article Tier 2

Methodologies to characterize, identify and quantify nano- and sub-micron sized plastics in relevant media for human exposure: a critical review

This review critically evaluated methodologies for characterizing, identifying, and quantifying nano- and sub-micron sized plastics in media relevant to human exposure, highlighting analytical gaps and the need for standardized approaches.

2022 Environmental Science Advances 27 citations
Article Tier 2

Can flow cytometry emerge as a high-throughput technique for micro- and nanoplastics analysis in complex environmental aqueous matrices?

Researchers reviewed the potential of flow cytometry — a technique that rapidly analyzes individual particles — as a high-throughput tool for detecting micro- and nanoplastics in water samples, finding it excels at measuring particles smaller than 20 micrometers that other methods struggle to detect. Using fluorescent dyes to tag plastics, the approach could enable near-real-time environmental monitoring at a scale no other current technique can match.

2025 Bioresource Technology Reports 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Preliminary Results From Detection of Microplastics in Liquid Samples Using Flow Cytometry

Researchers developed a novel flow cytometry approach for in-situ detection and quantification of microplastics in liquid samples using fluorescent staining, testing nine polymer types under controlled laboratory conditions. The method offers a high-throughput alternative to traditional time-consuming microplastic detection protocols that risk sample contamination.

2020 Frontiers in Marine Science 93 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of micro- and nanoplastics on blood cells in vitro and cardiovascular parameters in vivo, considering their presence in the human bloodstream and potential impact on blood pressure

This review examines evidence that micro- and nanoplastics can enter the human bloodstream and interact with blood cells, with plastic particles already detected in human blood, blood clots, and artery plaques. While direct evidence linking microplastics to blood pressure changes in humans is still lacking, animal studies and the mechanisms identified -- including blood vessel damage and inflammation -- suggest cardiovascular effects are plausible.

2025 Environmental Research 18 citations