Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Unseen Hazards—Toxicological Effects and Human Health Impacts of Nanoplastics and Microplastics

This review covers the toxicological effects of microplastics and nanoplastics in humans, examining exposure routes (oral, inhalation, dermal), tissue distribution, and mechanisms of harm including oxidative stress, inflammation, and endocrine disruption. It emphasises the importance of particle size, polymer type, and adsorbed chemical additives in determining toxicity.

2025 Applied Sciences
Article Tier 2

Plastic and Human Health: A Micro Issue?

This review evaluates the potential human health impacts of microplastic exposure through food and air, drawing on evidence from particle toxicology and related fields. Researchers note that if inhaled or ingested, microplastics could accumulate in tissues and cause localized inflammation, while chemical additives and adsorbed pollutants may leach out and cause additional toxic effects. The paper emphasizes that chronic, long-term exposure is likely the greater concern, though current data on actual human exposure levels remains limited.

2017 Environmental Science & Technology 3060 citations
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
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
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

Origin, environmental presence and health effects of microplastics

This review synthesizes current knowledge on the origins, environmental distribution, and health effects of microplastics, covering exposure pathways (ingestion, inhalation, dermal contact) and associated health risks including oxidative stress, inflammation, metabolic disruption, neurotoxicity, reproductive toxicity, and potential carcinogenicity.

2022 Acta Biologica Szegediensis 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Environmental exposure to microplastics: An overview on possible human health effects

This review examines the potential health effects of human exposure to microplastics through ingestion, inhalation, and skin contact. Researchers found that microplastic exposure may cause oxidative stress, inflammation, and immune system disruption, with the body's inability to break down synthetic particles potentially leading to chronic inflammation. The study emphasizes that while evidence of harm is growing, microplastic toxicity varies greatly depending on particle properties, concentration, and individual susceptibility.

2019 The Science of The Total Environment 2348 citations
Review Tier 2

Micro- and nanoplastics: origin, sources of intake and impact on human health (literature review)

This literature review synthesizes mechanisms by which micro- and nanoplastics interact with living organisms, examining their physicochemical properties, routes of human exposure, and documented health effects across multiple organ systems.

2025 Hygiene and Sanitation
Review Tier 2

A review of data for quantifying human exposures to micro and nanoplastics and potential health risks

This review synthesizes data on human exposure to micro- and nanoplastics through air, water, and food, and examines the potential health effects. Researchers found evidence of respiratory, liver, immune, and gastrointestinal impacts in humans and mammals exposed to elevated plastic particle levels, with toxicity varying by plastic type and size. The study highlights that while growing evidence links plastic particle exposure to health concerns, significant data gaps remain in quantifying actual human intake and long-term risks.

2020 The Science of The Total Environment 203 citations
Article Tier 2

The Impact of Microplastic on Human Health

This review synthesized evidence on microplastic exposure pathways and health effects in humans, finding that microplastics enter the body via ingestion, inhalation, and dermal contact and are associated with oxidative stress, inflammation, genotoxicity, and endocrine disruption.

2021 Current Biotechnology 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of micro-and-nano plastics on various organ systems in health

This review examines the toxicological effects of micro- and nanoplastics on multiple human organ systems—including the gut, liver, lungs, cardiovascular system, and brain—summarizing mechanisms of harm such as oxidative stress, inflammation, and endocrine disruption.

2025
Article Tier 2

Micro- and Nanosized Plastic: An Alarming Threat to One’s Health

This review examines the health hazards of micro- and nanoplastic exposure to humans and animals, covering the formation, distribution, and toxicological effects of particles generated through biotic and abiotic degradation of the approximately 12.7 million tons of plastic released annually into the environment. The authors highlight inhalation, ingestion, and dermal contact as key exposure routes and summarize evidence for cytotoxicity, inflammation, and endocrine disruption.

2024 ACS symposium series
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
Article Tier 2

Mechanistic insight into potential toxic effects of microplastics and nanoplastics on human health

This review summarizes how microplastics and nanoplastics enter the body through breathing, eating, and skin contact, then travel through the bloodstream to deposit in organs. Studies show they can cause oxidative stress, inflammation, immune dysfunction, genetic damage, developmental abnormalities, and potentially cancer, though most evidence comes from cell and animal studies rather than human research.

2025 Discover Applied Sciences 20 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

Scientific Evidence about the Risks of Micro and Nanoplastics (MNPLs) to Human Health and Their Exposure Routes through the Environment

Researchers reviewed the scientific evidence on exposure routes and health risks of micro- and nanoplastics to humans through environmental pathways. The study examined how plastic particles found in soil, water, and air enter the body primarily through ingestion and inhalation, and how they interact with the gastrointestinal tract. Evidence indicates that these particles can adsorb additives, heavy metals, and microorganisms on their surfaces, potentially contributing to toxic effects.

2022 Toxics 70 citations
Article Tier 2

Micro and nano-plastics, a threat to human health?

This review examines the threat micro- and nanoplastics pose to human health, discussing how these persistent particles accumulate in organs including lungs, the gastrointestinal system, and blood, and how their chemical composition and size influence toxicity.

2022 PubMed 38 citations
Article Tier 2

The exposure routes of micro- and nanoplastics and their potential toxic effects on human health

This review summarized current knowledge about how micro- and nanoplastics enter the human body through breathing, eating, and skin contact. The study discusses evidence from laboratory and animal studies suggesting these particles may affect the reproductive, respiratory, digestive, and immune systems, though researchers note that more human studies are needed to fully understand the health implications.

2024 Medycyna Pracy 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics and Nanoplastics as Environmental Contaminants of Emerging Concern: Potential Hazards for Human Health

This review covers how microplastics and nanoplastics enter humans through food, air, and skin contact, accumulating in the body over time. Inhaled particles can damage the lungs from the upper airways down to the deepest air sacs, and prolonged exposure has been linked to chronic inflammation, autoimmune disease, atherosclerosis, and cancer. The authors call for source reduction, material substitution, and better filtration to reduce exposure.

2024 Sustainability 27 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic: Its Effect on Human Health

This review outlines how microplastics from single-use packaging, bottles, and consumer goods enter the food chain through ingestion and inhalation, serving as carriers for toxic chemical additives and adsorbed pollutants that pose risks to human health.

2023 Asian Journal of Microbiology Biotechnology and Environmental Sciences 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Micro(Nano)Plastics as Carriers of Toxic Agents and Their Impact on Human Health

This review compiles evidence on how micro- and nanoplastics act as carriers of potentially toxic agents and enter the human body through inhalation, ingestion, and dermal absorption. Evidence indicates that continuous exposure to these particles can lead to bioaccumulation and negative health alterations, with recent research detecting microplastics even in human placental tissue.

2023 Environmental sciences 6 citations
Review Tier 2

Potential Health Impact of Microplastics: A Review of Environmental Distribution, Human Exposure, and Toxic Effects

This review summarizes existing research on how microplastics are found throughout the environment and in human samples, entering the body through food, air, and skin contact. Lab studies in cells and animals show microplastics can cause oxidative stress, DNA damage, immune reactions, brain toxicity, and reproductive harm, and early human health data links microplastic exposure to several chronic diseases.

2023 Environment & Health 519 citations
Article Tier 2

Exposure Pathways, Systemic Distribution, and Health Implications of Micro- and Nanoplastics in Humans

This review summarizes how micro- and nanoplastics enter the human body through food, air, and skin, then distribute to organs throughout the body. Research in animal and cell models shows these particles can cause oxidative stress, inflammation, brain toxicity, reproductive problems, and potentially cancer, though standardized methods for assessing real-world human health risks are still needed.

2025 Applied Sciences 12 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic and nanoplastic pollution and associated potential disease risks

This review summarizes evidence on potential health risks from human exposure to micro- and nanoplastics, covering metabolic, respiratory, cardiovascular, neurological, liver, kidney, and skin disorders, as well as cancer and aging-related conditions. Researchers found that while animal and cell studies show numerous adverse effects, direct evidence linking microplastic exposure to human disease remains limited. The study emphasizes the need for better human exposure data and broader investigation of environmentally prevalent plastic types.

2025 The Lancet Planetary Health 1 citations