Category Archives: Microplastics & Environmental Health

Microplastics (MPs) and nanoplastics (NPs) act as dynamic environmental vectors across the soil-water continuum, allowing them to enter organisms through direct ingestion, leading to potential tissue accumulation. Under specific exposure conditions, these vectors can undergo trophic transfer through food chains, contributing to combined toxicological risks. This paper reviews how the adsorption and co-transport behaviors of chemical pollutants by MPs and NPs are collectively regulated by the…

Microplastics and nanoplastics (MNPs) are emerging environmental pollutants due to their persistence and bodily accumulation. Recently, functional foods have received much attention for their ability to reverse or block MNP damage for therapeutic purposes and the potential risk of developing oral-gut-brain axis disorders. Among these, artichoke, spirulina algae, Opuntia ficus-indica, pterostilbene, hydroxycinnamic acids, and quinic acid are rich sources of polyphenols. These bioactive…

Plastic contamination (plastamination) is one of the main challenges of the 21st century. Microplastics (MPs, 5 mm-1 µm) and nanoplastics (NPs, <1 µm) are mainly produced from the environmental degradation of plastic waste and enter the food chain, bypass biological barriers, and bioaccumulate in tissues where they exert toxic/inflammatory effects. In the male reproductive system, MP/NPs can cross the blood-testis barrier, impair spermatogenesis, and affect semen quality parameters. While…

Micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs) are emerging environmental pollutants, but evidence concerning their effects on endometrial injury and adverse pregnancy outcomes remains limited. Therefore, we employed the Targeted Risk Assessment of Environmental Chemicals (TRAEC) strategy to integrate evidence concerning endometrial injury and adverse pregnancy outcomes associated with exposure to MNPs. Following targeted screening, 21 unique studies yielded 24 literature-derived evidence entries. Together with…

The first Inhaled Particles Symposium was held in 1960 under the leadership of 2 aerosol scientists, Norman Davies and Henry Walton. The study of inhaled particles has evolved over the subsequent decades, encompassing toxicology, epidemiology, aerosol science and occupational hygiene to understand their potential health impacts. Research has progressed from studies of workers in coal mines and those working with asbestos along with other dusts, including talc, radioactive particles, irritant…

Plastics are synthetic polymers widely used for their versatility, longer shelf life, and low cost. However, the non-biodegradable nature of conventional plastics has led to accumulation of microplastics (MPs; <5mm) and nanoplastics (NPs; <100 nm) in aquatic, terrestrial, and atmospheric environments. MNPs are composed of polyethene, polypropylene, polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride, and polyethene terephthalate. Human exposure to micro and nanoplastics occurs mainly through ingestion, inhalation,…

Plastics released into natural environments undergo complex transformations, ending in the spontaneous formation of an “eco-corona”, a dynamic layer of adsorbed organic molecules, biomolecules, and microorganisms. This eco-corona profoundly alters the physicochemical identity of micro- and nanoplastics, modulating their environmental fate, pollutant adsorption, cellular uptake, and toxicity. Emerging evidence shows that eco-corona-coated plastics can act as vectors for environmental pollutants…

The presence of nanoplastics (NPs) in the environment raises concerns about human exposure, mainly through ingestion. However, little is known about their physicochemical transformations during digestion. This study investigated the behaviour of polystyrene (PS) NPs (350 nm, 500 nm, and a 1:1 mixture) during in vitro digestion. Dynamic light scattering (DLS), ζ-potential measurements, and single-particle extinction and scattering (SPES) were used to evaluate changes in particle size, surface…

Nanoplastic pollution is a serious global concern, which has caused great threat to the human health. However, the relationship between nanoplastic exposure and the development and progression of ulcerative colitis (UC) is still unknown. We established a chronic dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis model with exposure to polystyrene nanoplastics (PS-NPs) and evaluated disease severity, gut inflammation, and intestinal barrier function. The immune microenvironment was assessed using…

Plastic production has been increasing exponentially. Throughout their lifespan, plastics degrade into smaller particles that accumulate in our bodies and the environment. Recent studies found these plastic particles can cross the placental barrier and reach the fetus. However, the impact of plastic particles on placental function is still unknown. We hypothesized that nanoplastics would disrupt placental growth and function, specifically focusing on transforming growth factor beta (TGFβ)…