Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Influence of artificial digestion on characteristics and intestinal cellular effects of micro-, submicro- and nanoplastics

Researchers simulated human digestion to study how micro-, submicro-, and nanoplastics change as they pass through the stomach and intestines. They found that the digestive process altered the surface properties and size distribution of the plastic particles, potentially affecting how they interact with intestinal cells. The study suggests that the body's digestive environment may transform plastic particles in ways that influence their biological impact.

2023 Food and Chemical Toxicology 20 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in our diet: complementary in vitro gut and epithelium models to understand their fate in the human digestive tract.

Researchers used complementary in vitro gut models to study how microplastics behave during human digestion, finding that digestive conditions alter microplastic surface properties and their interactions with gut cells. The work advances understanding of how ingested microplastics may affect the human digestive system.

2021 HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe)
Article Tier 2

Changes of physico-chemical properties of nano-biomaterials by digestion fluids affect the physiological properties of epithelial intestinal cells and barrier models

Researchers found that when nano-sized biomaterials pass through simulated digestive fluids, their physical and chemical properties change in ways that affect how intestinal cells respond to them. This highlights the importance of testing ingested nanoparticles — including nanoplastics — through realistic digestion conditions before drawing conclusions about their safety.

2022 Particle and Fibre Toxicology 28 citations
Article Tier 2

What if you eat nanoplastics? Simulating nanoplastics fate during gastrointestinal digestion

Researchers simulated what happens to nanoplastics as they pass through the human digestive system, from the mouth through the stomach and intestines. They found that digestive conditions significantly altered the size and surface properties of the particles, which could affect how readily they are absorbed into the body. The study provides important insights into how the gut environment transforms nanoplastics and may influence their potential health effects.

2024 Chemosphere 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Gastrointestinal digestion potentiates nanoplastic-induced intestinal barrier dysfunction and macrophage-driven inflammation

Researchers studied how the digestive process changes nanoplastics and affects their toxicity in the gut. They found that simulated gastrointestinal digestion altered the surface properties of polystyrene, PVC, and PET nanoplastics, making them more readily absorbed by intestinal cells and triggering stronger inflammatory responses. The study suggests that the way our bodies process nanoplastics during digestion may actually increase their potential to disrupt the gut barrier and cause inflammation.

2026 Journal of Hazardous Materials 1 citations
Article Tier 2

In vitro digestion of microplastics in human digestive system: Insights into particle morphological changes and chemical leaching

Researchers simulated human digestion on four common types of microplastics and found that stomach acid and digestive enzymes changed the particles' shape, surface texture, and caused them to release chemical additives. The study shows that microplastics are not inert once swallowed -- they are actively transformed in the gut, which could increase their ability to interact with intestinal tissues and release potentially harmful chemicals.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 20 citations
Article Tier 2

Digestion of Polystyrene Nanoparticles in a Whey Protein Drink. a Simulated in Vitro Gastrointestinal Digestion Using a Batch Infogest Model Combined with Cell Absorption Experiments

This study tracked polystyrene nano- and microplastic particles through a simulated digestive process mixed with a whey protein drink, then tested whether the particles could be absorbed by human intestinal cells. The work contributes to understanding how dietary microplastics survive digestion and whether they can pass through the gut lining into the body.

2022 CNR ExploRA
Article Tier 2

Elucidating the Size‐Dependency of In Vitro Digested Polystyrene Microplastics on Human Intestinal Cells Health and Function

Polystyrene microplastics of different sizes were subjected to simulated in vitro digestion and then applied to human intestinal cells, with smaller particles causing greater disruption to cell health and barrier function than larger ones. The results suggest that the smallest microplastics reaching the human gut pose the greatest risk to intestinal integrity.

2022 Macromolecular Chemistry and Physics 19 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics: What happens in the human digestive tract? First evidences in adults using in vitro gut models

Researchers used an advanced artificial gut model to study what happens when polyethylene microplastics pass through the human digestive tract under conditions mimicking repeated exposure. They found that microplastics altered the composition of gut bacteria and affected the intestinal barrier without causing overt toxicity. This is among the first studies to simulate realistic human digestive exposure to microplastics, suggesting subtle but meaningful effects on gut health.

2022 Journal of Hazardous Materials 114 citations
Article Tier 2

Mechanisms of ingested polystyrene micro-nanoplastics (MNPs) uptake and translocation in an in vitro tri-culture small intestinal epithelium

Researchers used a sophisticated laboratory model of the human small intestine to study how micro- and nanoplastics cross the gut barrier after simulated digestion. They found that smaller nanoplastics were absorbed more efficiently than larger microplastics, and the particles used multiple cellular pathways to cross the intestinal lining. The study provides new evidence about the mechanisms by which ingested plastic particles could potentially reach the bloodstream.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 32 citations
Article Tier 2

Impact of artificial digestion on the sizes and shapes of microplastic particles

Researchers investigated whether the human digestive process changes the size and shape of common microplastic particles. They found that all five major plastic types tested showed high resistance to artificial digestive juices, meaning the particles pass through the gastrointestinal tract largely unchanged. The study notes that proteins and other organic compounds can adsorb onto plastic particles during digestion, which could complicate accurate measurement of particle characteristics.

2019 Food and Chemical Toxicology 164 citations
Article Tier 2

An inverted in vitro triple culture model of the healthy and inflamed intestine: Adverse effects of polyethylene particles.

Using a laboratory model of the human intestinal lining, researchers tested how polyethylene microplastics affect intestinal cells and found they disrupted the barrier function of the gut wall. A compromised intestinal barrier allows larger molecules and particles to pass into the body, which could amplify the health effects of microplastic ingestion.

2021 Chemosphere
Article Tier 2

The influence of digestive tract protein on cytotoxicity of polyvinyl chloride microplastics

This study examined how human digestive enzymes change the properties of PVC microplastics as they pass through a simulated digestive tract. After digestion, the microplastics became more water-friendly and mobile in the body, and they caused greater damage to intestinal cells, including reduced cell survival, increased oxidative stress, and disrupted energy metabolism. These findings suggest that the digestion process itself may make microplastics more harmful to the human gut than previously assumed.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 22 citations
Article Tier 2

Fate of microplastics in human digestive in vitro environment and study of the dialogue between epithelium, microbiota and mucus

Researchers used an in vitro human digestive model to track the fate of microplastics through simulated gastrointestinal conditions, investigating how MPs interact with digestive physico-chemical parameters, the epithelium, gut microbiota, and mucus layer, with particular attention to the vulnerable infant population.

2022 theses.fr (ABES)
Article Tier 2

Quantitative tracking of the transformation of micro- and nanoplastics in simulated human body fluid

Scientists developed a new method to track how micro- and nanoplastics transform as they pass through simulated human digestive fluids. Using advanced chemical analysis, they found that only a small fraction of microplastics (less than 2.1 percent) released secondary nanoparticles during digestion, suggesting this particular route of nanoparticle exposure may pose a relatively low health risk. The method provides a reliable tool for future studies assessing how plastics break down inside the body.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Uptake and effects of orally ingested polystyrene microplastic particles in vitro and in vivo

Researchers studied the uptake and effects of orally ingested polystyrene microplastic particles using human intestinal cell models and rodent experiments. They found that smaller microplastics were taken up by intestinal cells and could cross the gut barrier, though the majority passed through the digestive system. The study suggests that while most ingested microplastics are excreted, a fraction can be absorbed, warranting further investigation into long-term health effects.

2019 Archives of Toxicology 559 citations
Article Tier 2

The role of human intestinal mucus in the prevention of microplastic uptake and cell damage

Researchers studied how the mucus lining of the human intestine acts as a barrier against microplastic particles of different sizes and surface coatings. The mucus layer significantly reduced microplastic uptake by cells and protected against toxicity and inflammation. This study suggests that a healthy intestinal mucus layer is an important natural defense against the harmful effects of swallowed microplastics.

2025 Biomaterials Science 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Investigation of Microplastics in Digestion System: Effect on Surface Microstructures and Probiotics

Researchers investigated how the digestive system affects five common microplastic types and found that digestion altered the surface microstructures of the particles while also negatively impacting probiotic bacteria, suggesting potential health risks from ingested microplastics.

2022 Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology 24 citations
Article Tier 2

Fate and impact of microplastics in in vitro human digestive environment and dialogue between epithelium, gut microbiota and mucus

This study used laboratory models of the human digestive system to track what happens to microplastics as they pass through the gut, and how they interact with gut bacteria and the mucus lining. The findings provide insight into how microplastics may disrupt the gut environment and potentially affect human health.

2021 HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe)
Article Tier 2

Microplastics (MPs): Fate in in vitro human digestive environment and study of the dialogue between epithelium, microbiota and mucus

This study examined what happens to microplastics as they pass through the human digestive system in vitro, studying interactions between plastic particles, gut microbiota, and intestinal mucus. Understanding how the gut processes microplastics is a key step in evaluating their potential health effects.

2021 HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe)
Article Tier 2

Exposure to microplastic associated chemicals upon oral consumption of microplastics

This thesis quantified the release of plastic-associated chemical contaminants from microplastics during simulated human digestion, measuring how much of these chemicals actually leach out under stomach and intestinal conditions. The research helps estimate the chemical exposure humans receive when they ingest microplastics through food and water.

2020 Socio-Environmental Systems Modeling
Article Tier 2

Impact of Digestion on Surface Microstructures of Microplastics

This study examined how the digestive processes of organisms affect the surface structure of microplastics, finding that digestion caused notable changes to particle surfaces while not breaking down the particles. These surface changes could affect how microplastics adsorb other chemicals and interact with tissues after being ingested. Understanding how digestion alters microplastics is important for accurately assessing exposure risks from swallowing these particles.

2021 Research Square (Research Square)
Article Tier 2

PET microplastics affect human gut microbiota communities during simulated gastrointestinal digestion, first evidence of plausible polymer biodegradation during human digestion

Using a simulated human digestive system, researchers tracked what happens to PET microplastics as they pass through the stomach and intestines. The microplastics were structurally changed during digestion and appeared to alter the composition of gut bacteria, with some microbes forming biofilms on the plastic surfaces. This is the first evidence that microplastics may be partially broken down during human digestion and could disrupt the gut microbiome, which plays a critical role in overall health.

2022 Scientific Reports 260 citations
Article Tier 2

The potential effects of microplastic pollution on human digestive tract cells

Researchers tested polystyrene particles of four different sizes on human colon and small intestine cells to assess the potential effects of microplastic ingestion. They found that the smallest nanoscale particles were more readily taken up by cells and caused greater reductions in cell viability and increased oxidative stress. The study suggests that smaller plastic particles may pose a greater risk to the human digestive tract than larger ones.

2021 Chemosphere 143 citations