nanoplastics

Emerging link between nanoplastics and neurodegenerative diseases, scientists find

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Researchers from Duke University, US, have identified emerging evidence linking nanoplastics to pathways implicated in neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson’s and dementia.  The study, published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, reveals that certain types of nanoplastics, such as PE and PS, can strongly interact with a protein called α-synuclein. This interaction causes conformational changes to … Read more

Microplastics in food and drinks damage our livers and affect metabolism, scientists say

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“Waiter, there are fragments of synthetic polymers in my soup” does not have quite the ring to it as the old joke about the unappetising fly. Research presented at an American Society for Nutrition conference in Orlando, Florida, that ended this week suggests that food and drink are much more likely to harbour harmful plastics … Read more

Environmental Factor – April 2025: Tiny plastics, big questions: in conversation with Dr. Matthew Campen

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Rick Woychik, Ph.D., directs NIEHS and the National Toxicology Program. (Image courtesy of NIEHS) While plastic has transformed modern life, improving everything from food packaging to medical devices, research shows that over time, plastic waste can degrade into particles so small that they become invisible — and increasingly, unavoidable. These micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs) can … Read more

Rising microplastic levels in brain tissues raise health concerns

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Researchers at the University of New Mexico have discovered that microplastic concentrations in human brain tissue increased by approximately 50 per cent between 2016 and 2024. The study, published in Nature Medicine, found microplastic and nanoplastic concentrations in brain tissues reached median levels of 4,917 micrograms per gram in 2024 samples, up from 3,345 micrograms … Read more