Microplastics News and Research

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Inhaled microplastics suppress pulmonary macrophages critical to the immune system

Microplastics are ubiquitous in the environment, and we all routinely inhale these tiny pollutants. Now new research published at the ATS 2025 International Conference has found that inhaled microplastics suppress pulmonary macrophages, a type of white blood cell found in the lungs that are critical to the immune system.

19 May 2025

Public health impact of synthetic chemicals in food is underestimated

Scientists highlight the evidence of increasing public health impacts from exposure to synthetic chemicals in food.

16 May 2025

Bacteria-based fibers offer new hope for bone healing

Have you ever wondered if there is a way to heal bones without having to take bone from another part of the body? A new doctoral thesis from the University of Borås, Sweden, now presents exciting advancements in this area. It involves using bacteria to produce fibers that can help heal bones.

25 Apr 2025

Urgent action needed to protect children from extreme heat in schools and child care settings

As Canadians face increasingly intense and frequent heat waves, health, education and legal experts are sounding the alarm on a growing crisis: extreme heat in schools and child care settings due to the escalating effects of climate change.

24 Apr 2025

Chitosan clears microplastics from the gut in rats within days

A study in rats found that ingesting chitosan, a dietary fiber from shells, significantly increased the fecal excretion rate and decreased the gut retention time of polyethylene microplastics. This suggests chitosan could potentially help mitigate microplastic accumulation in the digestive system.

24 Apr 2025

Carotid artery plaque contains elevated micronanoplastics

People with plaque in the blood vessels of their neck have a higher amount of tiny plastic particles in those vessels compared to people with healthy arteries.

22 Apr 2025

New method detects and quantifies nanoplastics in transparent body fluids

Microplastics and the much smaller nanoplastics enter the human body in various ways, for example through food or the air we breathe.

14 Apr 2025

Microplastics exposure linked to increased risk of chronic diseases

Tiny fragments of plastic have become ubiquitous in our environment and our bodies. Higher exposure to these microplastics, which can be inadvertently consumed or inhaled, is associated with a heightened prevalence of chronic noncommunicable diseases, according to new research being presented at the American College of Cardiology's Annual Scientific Session (ACC.25).

25 Mar 2025

IL-12 targeting could open pathways for new Alzheimer's treatments

Researchers from Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin and the Max Delbrück Center have detailed the precise mechanism through which the inflammatory signaling molecule IL-12 contributes to Alzheimer's disease.

17 Mar 2025

Polluted soil and water are fueling a global heart disease epidemic

A new study in Atherosclerosis shows that soil and water pollution, including microplastics and toxic chemicals, significantly raise cardiovascular disease risks. The research highlights how emerging contaminants and poor environmental practices drive global health threats.

16 Mar 2025

Microplastics found to promote antibiotic resistance in bacteria

Microplastics-tiny shards of plastic debris-are all over the planet. They have made their way up food chains, accumulated in oceans, clustered in clouds and on mountains, and been found inside our bodies at alarming rates.

11 Mar 2025

PlasticHeal project sheds light on hidden health effects of nanoplastics

Microplastics and nanoplastics, two of the smallest and most invisible forms of plastic pollution, may pose risks to human health.

11 Mar 2025

These simple diet tweaks could slash microplastics in your body

Researchers identify dietary and lifestyle-based strategies that may reduce human exposure to microplastics and nanoplastics.

9 Mar 2025

Microplastic contamination found in downstream rivers of Latin America

It is well known that microplastics are collecting in the world's oceans at an alarming rate, but research on the cancer-linked pollutant in rivers remains limited.

4 Mar 2025

How much plastic are you eating? This new tool finds out

Researchers developed the 24-hour dietary recall–plastic exposure (24DR-PE) tool to assess and quantify dietary plastic exposure, aiming to link it with real-world health impacts.

4 Mar 2025

Nanoscale plastic particles enhance toxin uptake in plants and human cells

Micro- and nanoscale plastic particles in soil and water can significantly increase how much toxic chemicals plants and human intestinal cells absorb, according to two new studies from Rutgers Health that raise fresh concerns about food safety from plastic pollution.

11 Feb 2025