Papers

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Article Tier 2

Genotoxic and cytotoxic effects of polystyrene nanoplastics on human lymphocytes: A comprehensive analysis

Researchers tested the effects of 50-nanometer polystyrene nanoplastics on human white blood cells in the laboratory. They found that even at low concentrations, the nanoplastics caused DNA damage, reduced cell viability, and triggered oxidative stress. The study provides evidence that nanoplastic particles small enough to enter the bloodstream could pose risks to human immune cell health.

2025 Mutation Research/Genetic Toxicology and Environmental Mutagenesis 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Evaluation of In Vitro Genotoxicity of Polystyrene Nanoparticles in Human Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells

Researchers evaluated the genotoxic potential of polystyrene nanoparticles in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells, finding evidence of DNA damage that raises concerns about the health effects of nanoplastic exposure in humans.

2023 Toxics 14 citations
Article Tier 2

Genotoxic and immunomodulatory effects in human white blood cells after ex vivo exposure to polystyrene nanoplastics

Human white blood cells were exposed ex vivo to polystyrene nanoplastics and showed DNA strand breaks, chromosomal damage, and changes in immune cell activation markers, suggesting that nanoplastics at environmentally relevant concentrations could cause genotoxic and immunomodulatory effects in people.

2020 Environmental Science Nano 68 citations
Article Tier 2

Biological effects, including oxidative stress and genotoxic damage, of polystyrene nanoparticles in different human hematopoietic cell lines

Researchers exposed three human immune cell lines (B-lymphocytes, lymphoblasts, and monocytes) to 50 nm polystyrene nanoparticles and found cell-type-specific responses — monocytes internalized the most particles but showed no harm, while B-lymphocytes and lymphoblasts displayed oxidative stress and DNA damage despite lower uptake.

2020 Journal of Hazardous Materials 198 citations
Article Tier 2

Genotoxic and cytotoxic effects of polyethylene microplastics on human peripheral blood lymphocytes

Researchers tested whether polyethylene microplastics cause genetic damage to human blood cells using a specialized laboratory assay. The study found that even low concentrations of microplastics significantly increased markers of genomic instability, including micronucleus formation and other indicators of DNA damage. This is among the first studies to demonstrate that microplastics have genotoxic potential in human cells, though the particles did not appear to kill the cells outright.

2021 Chemosphere 217 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene nanoparticles induce DNA damage and apoptosis in HeLa cells

Researchers exposed human HeLa cells to polystyrene nanoplastics — particles smaller than 100 nm — and found that even short exposures at low concentrations caused DNA damage, abnormal cell division, and signs of cell death including apoptosis and necrosis. The results suggest nanoplastics can directly damage human cell DNA, raising concerns about the health implications of everyday nanoplastic exposure.

2024 Heliyon 9 citations
Article Tier 2

Cellular response of THP-1 macrophages to polystyrene microplastics exposure

Researchers exposed human macrophage cells to polystyrene nanoparticles smaller than 450 nanometers and observed significant decreases in cell viability, increased oxidative stress, and DNA damage. The particles also reduced mitochondrial membrane potential and inhibited cell proliferation. The findings suggest that microplastic exposure may impair immune cell function in humans, highlighting potential risks to the immune system.

2022 Toxicology 45 citations
Article Tier 2

Exposure to nanoplastic particles and DNA damage in mammalian cells

This review assessed the evidence for DNA damage caused by nanoplastic exposure in mammalian cells, focusing primarily on polystyrene particles. Researchers found that most studies reported increased DNA strand breaks and chromosomal damage, though the results varied depending on particle size, surface chemistry, and concentration. The evidence indicates that nanoplastics have the potential to cause genetic damage in mammalian cells, but more standardized testing is needed to fully understand the risks.

2023 Mutation Research/Reviews in Mutation Research 24 citations
Article Tier 2

Oxidative Properties of Polystyrene Nanoparticles with Different Diameters in Human Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells (In Vitro Study)

Researchers exposed human peripheral blood mononuclear cells to polystyrene nanoparticles of different sizes and measured oxidative stress and mitochondrial function, finding that smaller particles induced greater reactive oxygen species production and mitochondrial disruption, with significant cell damage at concentrations relevant to human exposure estimates.

2021 International Journal of Molecular Sciences 37 citations
Article Tier 2

Hazard assessment of different-sized polystyrene nanoplastics in hematopoietic human cell lines

Researchers tested how different sizes of polystyrene nanoplastics (50, 200, and 500 nm) affect human blood cell lines. While none of the sizes caused direct cell death, all three were taken up by cells and disrupted mitochondrial function in immune-related cell types. The study suggests that even without killing cells outright, nanoplastics may interfere with important cellular energy processes, with effects varying by particle size and cell type.

2023 Chemosphere 42 citations
Article Tier 2

Effect of micro- and nanoplastic particles on human macrophages

This study is the first to visualize polystyrene micro- and nanoparticles inside primary human immune cells (macrophages) from actual blood donors, showing that the particles increase cell death and generate harmful reactive oxygen species. The findings provide direct evidence that human immune cells react to plastic particles in ways that could contribute to inflammation and health problems.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 48 citations
Article Tier 2

Molecular effects of polystyrene nanoplastics on human neural stem cells

Researchers exposed human brain stem cells to tiny polystyrene nanoplastics and found they caused oxidative stress, DNA damage, inflammation, and cell death. These findings suggest that nanoplastics could potentially harm brain development if they reach neural tissue, though more research is needed to understand real-world exposure levels.

2024 PLoS ONE 28 citations
Article Tier 2

Cytotoxicity and Genotoxicity of Polystyrene Micro- and Nanoplastics with Different Size and Surface Modification in A549 Cells

Researchers tested polystyrene micro- and nanoplastics of different sizes and surface modifications on human lung cells to evaluate their potential toxicity. They found that particle size, surface chemistry, and how particles interact with surrounding biological fluids all significantly influenced cellular damage and DNA harm. The study highlights that the toxicity of plastic particles in humans depends on multiple physical and chemical properties, not just their presence.

2022 International Journal of Nanomedicine 134 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of Polystyrene Microplastics on Human Kidney and Liver Cell Morphology, Cellular Proliferation, and Metabolism

Researchers exposed human kidney and liver cells to polystyrene microplastics of different sizes and concentrations to assess their effects on cell health. They found that microplastics altered cell shape, reduced proliferation, and disrupted cellular metabolism, with smaller particles generally causing more damage. The findings suggest that microplastics reaching internal organs could have measurable effects at the cellular level.

2022 ACS Omega 183 citations
Article Tier 2

Adverse effect of polystyrene microplastics (PS-MPs) on tube formation and viability of human umbilical vein endothelial cells

Researchers tested the effects of polystyrene microplastics on human blood vessel cells grown in the laboratory and found that the particles reduced cell survival and inhibited the formation of new blood vessel structures. Smaller microplastics accumulated inside the cells more readily and triggered cell death through autophagy and necrosis. The study suggests that microplastics entering the bloodstream could potentially interfere with normal vascular function.

2021 Food and Chemical Toxicology 131 citations
Article Tier 2

In Vitro Genotoxicity of Polystyrene Nanoparticles on the Human Fibroblast Hs27 Cell Line

Researchers tested the genotoxic effects of polystyrene nanoparticles on human fibroblast cells in the laboratory. They found that the nanoparticles caused DNA damage, including increased formation of micronuclei and nuclear buds, along with elevated production of reactive oxygen species. Interestingly, adding saffron extract reduced the oxidative stress caused by the nanoparticles, suggesting potential protective effects against nanoplastic-induced cellular damage.

2019 Nanomaterials 209 citations
Article Tier 2

Cytotoxic effect of polystyrene nanoplastics in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and normal rat kidney cells (NRK52E)

Researchers tested how polystyrene nanoplastics affect human blood vessel cells and rat kidney cells in the lab. They found that nanoplastic exposure caused oxidative stress and reduced cell survival in both cell types, with effects increasing at higher concentrations. The study adds to growing evidence that nanoplastics can damage mammalian cells, though the implications for whole-body health require further investigation.

2024 Journal of King Saud University - Science 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Enhancement of biological effects of oxidised nano- and microplastics in human professional phagocytes

Researchers studied how virgin and environmentally aged polystyrene nano- and microplastics affect human immune cells (monocytes and macrophages). The study found that oxidized particles, which simulate environmental aging, caused significantly greater DNA damage and oxidative stress than virgin particles, suggesting that weathered plastics in the environment may pose higher health risks.

2023 Environmental Toxicology and Pharmacology 25 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene nanoplastics affect transcriptomic and epigenomic signatures of human fibroblasts and derived induced pluripotent stem cells: Implications for human health

Researchers found that polystyrene nanoplastics altered transcriptomic and epigenomic signatures in human fibroblasts and derived induced pluripotent stem cells, demonstrating that plastic particle exposure can cause lasting molecular changes with potential implications for human health.

2022 Environmental Pollution 21 citations
Article Tier 2

Immunotoxicity of polystyrene nanoplastics in different hemocyte subpopulations of Mytilus galloprovincialis

Researchers exposed hemocyte subpopulations of Mytilus galloprovincialis mussels to polystyrene nanoplastics and found that different immune cell types responded differently, with some showing increased mortality and lysosomal damage at environmentally relevant concentrations.

2020 Scientific Reports 90 citations
Article Tier 2

Cytotoxicity of polystyrene nanoplastics involves mitochondrial dysfunction and DNA damage in hemocytes of the Pacific oyster

Researchers used an in vitro cellular bioassay with Pacific oyster hemocytes to investigate the toxicity of polystyrene nanoplastics, finding that 24-hour exposure caused mitochondrial dysfunction, elevated reactive oxygen species, and DNA damage. The results identify immune cell mitochondria as key targets of nanoplastic cytotoxicity in marine bivalves.

2025 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety
Article Tier 2

Distinctive impact of polystyrene nano-spherules as an emergent pollutant toward the environment

Researchers assessed polystyrene nanosphere toxicity to marine crustaceans and human blood cells, finding significant aggregation in seawater, lethal concentrations for brine shrimp (Artemia salina) and lymphocytes at microgram-per-milliliter levels, and evidence of genotoxicity and oxidative stress damage, establishing these particles as an emerging environmental and health hazard.

2018 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 51 citations
Article Tier 2

Exposure of microplastic at levels relevant for human health : cytotoxicity and cellular localization of polystyrene microparticles in four human cell lines

Researchers tested the cytotoxicity of polystyrene microplastics on four human cell lines at concentrations relevant to real-world human exposure from food, water, and packaging. At environmentally realistic doses, microplastics were taken up by cells but did not cause significant toxicity, though higher concentrations did produce cell damage, suggesting that current exposure levels may be near a threshold of concern.

2020 Ghent University Academic Bibliography (Ghent University)
Article Tier 2

In Vitro and In Vivo Genotoxicity of Polystyrene Microplastics: Evaluation of a Possible Synergistic Action with Bisphenol A

Researchers tested whether polystyrene microplastics cause genetic damage, both in human blood cells in the lab and in freshwater snails. They found that at higher concentrations, microplastics caused DNA damage on their own, and when combined with bisphenol A (a common plastic chemical), the damage was even greater. The study suggests that microplastics and the chemicals they carry may work together to increase the risk of genetic harm.

2024 Journal of Xenobiotics 9 citations