Microplastics News and Research

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KFF Health News' 'What the Health?': Abortion pill’s legal limbo continues

A divided three-judge federal appeals court panel has ruled that a lower court was wrong to try to reverse entirely the FDA's approval of the abortion drug mifepristone.

17 Aug 2023

Scientist receives $6.8M grant to study how environmental chemicals increase CVD risk

Exposure to environmental chemicals, including those in common plastic products, has been linked with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, or CVD, the leading cause of death worldwide. According to the World Health Organization, 17.9 million people died from CVDs in 2019.

16 Aug 2023

Microplastics introduced into the heart tissues of people who underwent surgery

Everywhere scientists look for microplastics, they've found them - food, water, air and some parts of the human body. But examinations of our innermost organs that aren't directly exposed to the environment are still limited.

9 Aug 2023

Exploring human aging via elephant research

Indiana University researcher Daniella Chusyd is studying human aging in an unlikely way: through elephants.

4 Aug 2023

Study examines the combined toxicity of common environmental pollutants on the gut-brain axis

Regulating environmental pollution around the world still largely relies upon risk assessments of "single pollutants," ignoring combined toxicities and interactions of groups of substances.

8 Jun 2023

Agricultural plastics: analyzing the risks to food safety, health, and the environment by way of soil pollution by microplastics

Researchers reviewed the use, characteristics, and potential risks of agricultural plastics (APs).

8 Jun 2023

Microplastics in the digestive tract of seabirds alters gut microbiome, finds study

Scientists have been worried about the potential harms of microplastics for years. These small plastic particles less than 5 mm in length have been found everywhere because of plastic pollution - from the Earth's deep oceans to remote regions in Antarctica, and even the seafood we eat. But, are microplastics really harmful?

25 May 2023

Unraveling how the interplay between Sargassum, plastic marine debris and Vibrio bacteria creates the perfect "pathogen" storm

A new study uncovers how the interplay between Sargassum spp., plastic marine debris and Vibrio bacteria creates the perfect "pathogen" storm that has implications for both marine life and public health. Vibrio bacteria are found in waters around the world and are the dominant cause of death in humans from the marine environment.

18 May 2023

Study shows endocrine disrupting effects of micro and nanoplastic particles

Amid rising evidence that additives designed to improve plastics also disrupt sex hormones, a Rutgers laboratory trial shows that plastic itself can do likewise when inhaled at moderate levels.

27 Apr 2023

Microplastics: How safe are factory workers from invisible threats?

Researchers examine exposure to microplastics in plastic factory personnel.

24 Apr 2023

Plastic waste's 'plastisphere' could harbor and spread eukaryotic pathogens

A recent study reviews the potential for helminth, fungal, and protozoan pathogens to associate with plastisphere.

3 Apr 2023

New insights into the release of microplastics from breastmilk storage bags

Researchers from China analyzed the quantity, size, and composition of microplastics and other particle matter released into breastmilk from disposable breastmilk storage bags.

6 Feb 2023

Study: Exposure to high doses of micro-sized polyethylene has adverse effects on cells

Exposure to high doses of micro-sized polyethylene has adverse effects on cells, a new study from the University of Eastern Finland finds.

17 Jan 2023

Researchers find an abundance of microplastics in placentas and meconium samples

The embryonic and fetal periods of life are vulnerable to impact by harmful chemicals in the environment. These include microplastics (MPs), which have been found in many living organisms and tissues, stemming from the environmental degradation of waste plastics. Using placental tissue and meconium samples, a new study examines the links between exposure to MPs in pregnancy and microbiomes.

21 Nov 2022

Microplastics are associated with the biological risks of water-borne viral transmission

Microplastics are not just tiny particles that can be ingested, they can also carry viruses, a University of Queensland study has revealed.

2 Nov 2022

Review on COVID-19 biomedical waste-derived microplastic toxicity

In a new study, researchers reviewed existing literature on the biomedical waste source, elements, and the recent upsurge of microplastics during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.

11 Oct 2022

Detecting microplastics in human samples

A new study discusses how microplastics exposure to humans can be examined, preventative measures, and future possibilities in microplastics research.

6 Oct 2022

Spectroscopy reveals a high abundance of microplastics in human placenta

Scientists have used a spectroscopy technique to identify and characterize microplastics in the human placenta. The study published in the journal Science of The Total Environment provides a detailed overview of the size, shape, and nature of microplastics found in the placenta.

27 Sep 2022

In vitro gut models reveal how microplastics affect the GI tract

Researchers hypothesize that exposure to polyethylene microplastics affect the human adult GI system in vitro under realistic conditions.

26 Sep 2022

Are we consuming microplastics through take-out food?

In a recent Environmental Research study, scientists detected and measured microplastics directly from take-out food.