Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Comparison of PET tracing and biodistribution between 64Cu-labeled micro-and nano-polystyrene in a murine inhalation model

Using advanced PET imaging in mice, researchers tracked where inhaled micro and nanoplastics traveled in the body and found that nano-sized particles cleared from the lungs much faster than micro-sized ones but accumulated more in the liver, spleen, and other organs. Micro-sized particles stayed in the lungs longer, with peak retention at 24 hours, while nano-sized particles spread quickly throughout the body. This is one of the first studies to directly visualize how inhaled plastic particles distribute through living mammals, confirming that smaller particles pose a greater risk of reaching organs beyond the lungs.

2024 Particle and Fibre Toxicology 19 citations
Article Tier 2

Comparison of PET tracing and biodistribution between 64Cu-labeled micro-and nano-polystyrene in a murine inhalation model

Using radioactive copper labeling and PET imaging, researchers tracked where inhaled micro- and nano-sized polystyrene particles travel in the body, finding that nanoplastics distributed more widely to organs than microplastics after lung exposure. This is significant for understanding the health risks of airborne plastic particles, which people inhale daily from synthetic textiles, dust, and urban air.

2023 Research Square (Research Square)
Article Tier 2

Unraveling the in vivo fate of inhaled micro- and nanoplastics with PET imaging

Using advanced PET imaging, researchers tracked what happens to inhaled and injected micro and nanoplastics inside living mice for the first time. They found that nanoplastics largely avoided being captured by immune cells in the lungs and could travel to other organs, while both sizes accumulated heavily in the liver and spleen after entering the bloodstream. This study provides direct evidence that inhaled plastic particles can redistribute throughout the body, which is important for understanding how airborne microplastics might affect human health.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 41 citations
Article Tier 2

Harnessing PET to track micro- and nanoplastics in vivo

This study explores the use of positron emission tomography (PET) imaging to track micro- and nanoplastic particles in living organisms. Researchers developed methods to radiolabel plastic particles, enabling accurate determination of how these pollutants move through the body, which is critical for understanding the health effects of chronic microplastic exposure.

2021 Scientific Reports 58 citations
Article Tier 2

Noncovalent radiolabeling of microplastics using a desferrioxamine-conjugated Nile Red derivative for quantitative in vivo tracking

Researchers developed a new method for tracking microplastics in living organisms using a specialized dye that attaches to plastic surfaces without altering their properties, enabling both fluorescence imaging and radioactive labeling. The technique allowed quantitative tracking of microplastic movement through the gastrointestinal tract of mice using PET imaging, providing a tool for better understanding how microplastics behave in the body.

2026 Analytica Chimica Acta
Article Tier 2

Potential Impact Microplastic Polyethylene Terephthalate on Mice

Researchers studied how polyethylene terephthalate (PET) microplastics affect mice when ingested, tracking where the particles end up in the body. They found that microplastics accumulated in various organs and caused measurable biological effects. The study adds to growing evidence that common plastic types found in food packaging may pose health risks when consumed.

2024 Sarhad Journal of Agriculture 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Development of a polystyrene-based microplastic model for bioaccumulation and biodistribution study using radiotracing and nuclear analysis method

Researchers developed a radiolabeled polystyrene microplastic model to track how microplastics move through and accumulate in living organisms. The study suggests that using radioactive tracers like iodine-131 allows for real-time, sensitive monitoring of microplastic behavior in biological systems, offering a more efficient alternative to conventional tracking methods.

2024 Marine Pollution Bulletin 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Biodistribution of nanoplastics in mice: advancing analytical techniques using metal-doped plastics

Researchers developed a new analytical method using palladium-doped nanoplastics to track where plastic particles go in the body after ingestion in mice. They found that after short-term exposure, most particles passed through the digestive system and were excreted, but longer-term exposure led to accumulation in body tissues. The study advances the ability to detect and trace nanoplastics at extremely small concentrations in biological samples.

2025 Communications Biology 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Distribution and Tissue Damage After a Single Microplastic Exposure in Mice

Researchers administered fluorescent microplastics to mice by oral gavage and tracked their distribution through the body over several hours. They found direct evidence of microplastic particles in the blood, lungs, brain, kidneys, liver, and spleen, with fluorescence peaking at two hours after exposure. Histological examination revealed mild tissue damage including congestion in the liver and lungs, providing evidence that ingested microplastics can enter the bloodstream and reach multiple organs.

2025 Egyptian Academic Journal of Biological Sciences. D, Histology and Histochemistry 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Near-infrared (NIR-II) fluorescent poly(ethylene terephthalate) nano-microplastics for in vivo tracking

Researchers developed a new method to track nano-microplastics inside living animals in real time using near-infrared fluorescent imaging. By embedding a special dye into common PET plastic particles, they were able to follow the particles through mice after oral exposure, offering a promising tool for studying how plastics of different sizes behave inside the body.

2025 Journal of Nanoparticle Research 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Imaging and quantifying the biological uptake and distribution of nanoplastics using a dual-functional model material

This study used advanced imaging techniques to visualize and quantify nanoplastic uptake and distribution in biological systems, tracking particle translocation from exposure routes into tissues and characterizing intracellular localization.

2024 1 citations
Article Tier 2

In Vivo Tissue Distribution of Microplastics and the Systemic Metabolic Changes After Gastrointestinal Exposure in Mice

Mice exposed to microplastics via the gastrointestinal route showed systemic distribution of particles to multiple organs and measurable changes in metabolic pathways, providing early in vivo evidence of systemic impacts from plastic ingestion.

2024 Physiology 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Absorption, distribution, and elimination of [14C] polyethylene terephthalate nanoplastics in lactating sheep upon oral administration

Researchers tracked radiolabeled PET nanoplastics in lactating sheep after a single oral dose to understand how they are absorbed, distributed, and eliminated. They found that the vast majority (approximately 99 percent by 72 hours) was excreted through feces, with only trace amounts detected in plasma, milk, and tissues. The study suggests that dietary PET nanoplastics are largely passed through the digestive system rather than accumulating in body tissues, though low-level absorption into the bloodstream does occur.

2025 The Science of The Total Environment 1 citations
Article Tier 2

MassBalance Tracing of In Vivo Biodistribution,Relocation, and Excretion of Europium-Doped Micro/Nanoplastics inRats

This rat study used europium-labeled micro- and nanoplastics to track particle distribution in the body after intravenous administration, finding that most accumulated in the liver and spleen with very little reaching the brain or heart. The results suggest that standard biological filtration processes govern microplastic distribution following classical size-dependent rules.

Figshare
Article Tier 2

In Vivo Tissue Distribution of Microplastics and Systemic Metabolomic Alterations After Gastrointestinal Exposure

Researchers fed mice a mixture of common microplastics and then tracked where the particles ended up in the body and how they affected metabolism. They found that ingested microplastics crossed the gut barrier and accumulated in the liver, kidneys, and other tissues, causing measurable changes in metabolic pathways. The study provides evidence that microplastic exposure through the digestive system can lead to widespread tissue distribution and systemic metabolic disruption in mammals.

2023 17 citations
Article Tier 2

MRI-based microplastic tracking in vivo and targeted toxicity analysis

Researchers developed a new MRI-based method to track microplastics inside living mice over 21 days. They found that the liver was the primary organ where polystyrene microplastics accumulated, and this accumulation led to liver cell death, inflammation, and changes in enzyme levels. This tracking technique could help scientists better understand how microplastics move through and affect biological systems.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Toxicity and Biodistribution of Fragmented Polypropylene Microplastics in ICR Mice

Researchers fed mice two different sizes of polypropylene microplastics and found no significant toxic effects in standard toxicological assessments, including body weight, organ weight, and tissue examination. They established that the no-observed-adverse-effect level was at or above 2,000 milligrams per kilogram of body weight. Using fluorescently labeled particles, the team tracked the distribution of microplastics in real time, finding that the particles spread to multiple organs including the brain.

2023 International Journal of Molecular Sciences 27 citations
Article Tier 2

Fluorescent plastic nanoparticles to track their interaction and fate in physiological environments

This study developed fluorescently labeled plastic nanoparticles made from PET, polypropylene, and polystyrene that can be tracked in biological environments to study how nanoplastics are taken up and processed by living organisms. Having trackable model nanoplastics is an important tool for understanding how these particles move through tissues and food chains.

2020 Environmental Science Nano 38 citations
Article Tier 2

Mass Balance Tracing of In Vivo Biodistribution, Relocation, and Excretion of Europium-Doped Micro/Nanoplastics in Rats

Scientists injected tiny plastic particles into rats and tracked where they went in the body for three months. Most plastic particles collected in the liver and spleen, with smaller particles being harder for the body to get rid of—only 80% of the smallest particles were eliminated compared to just 15% of larger ones. This suggests that microplastics from food, water, and air could build up in our organs over time, though the long-term health effects are still unknown.

2026 Environmental Science & Technology
Article Tier 2

Toxicity Study and Quantitative Evaluation of Polyethylene Microplastics in ICR Mice

Researchers fed polyethylene microplastics to mice over 28 days to study their toxicity, and used Raman spectroscopy to track where the particles ended up. They detected microplastics in the lungs, stomach, intestines, and blood serum, with repeated oral exposure leading to inflammation in lung tissue. The findings provide evidence that ingested microplastics can travel beyond the gut and accumulate in other organs.

2022 Polymers 84 citations
Article Tier 2

In Vivo tracing and systemic organ biodistribution of dermally exposed nano polystyrene

Researchers used radiolabeled nano-sized polystyrene particles to trace how nanoplastics penetrate the skin and distribute throughout the body in a chronic dermal exposure model. They found that the nanoparticles were able to cross the skin barrier and translocate to multiple organs throughout the body. The study suggests that dermal exposure represents a potential route for systemic nanoplastic uptake, challenging assumptions about the skin's ability to fully block these particles.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Orally administered fluorescent nanosized polystyrene particles affect cell viability, hormonal and inflammatory profile, and behavior in treated mice

Researchers found that orally administered fluorescent polystyrene nanoparticles passed through the mouse digestive system and accumulated in multiple organs. The study observed changes in cell viability, hormonal and inflammatory profiles, and behavior in treated mice, providing evidence that ingested nanoplastics can cross biological barriers and affect multiple body systems.

2022 Environmental Pollution 71 citations
Article Tier 2

The Uptake and Distribution Evidence of Nano- and Microplastics in vivo after a Single High Dose of Oral Exposure.

This in vivo study provided evidence on the uptake and organ distribution of nano- and microplastics following a single high-dose administration, finding that nanoplastics translocated rapidly to multiple organs through blood circulation while only small amounts of larger microplastics penetrated organs.

2024 PubMed 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Tissue accumulation of microplastics in mice and biomarker responses suggest widespread health risks of exposure

Researchers fed mice polystyrene microplastics of two sizes and tracked where the particles accumulated in the body, finding them in the liver, kidneys, and gut with distribution patterns depending on particle size. Biochemical analysis revealed that microplastic exposure disrupted energy and fat metabolism, caused oxidative stress, and altered markers of neurotoxicity in the blood. The study provides evidence that microplastics can accumulate in mammalian tissues and may pose widespread health risks.

2017 Scientific Reports 1354 citations