Ingested nano- and microsized polystyrene particles surpass the intestinal barrier and accumulate in the body

Schwarzfischer, Marlene; Niechcial, Anna; Lee, Sung Sik; Sinnet, Brian; Wawrzyniak, Marcin; Laimbacher, Andrea; Atrott, Kirstin; Manzini, Roberto; Morsy, Yasser; Häfliger, Janine; Lang, Silvia; Rogler, Gerhard; Kaegi, Ralf; Scharl, Michael; Spalinger, Marianne R

doi:10.1016/j.impact.2021.100374

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Schwarzfischer, M., Niechcial, A., Lee, S. S., Sinnet, B., Wawrzyniak, M., Laimbacher, A., Atrott, K., Manzini, R., Morsy, Y., Häfliger, J., Lang, S., Rogler, G., Kaegi, R., Scharl, M., & Spalinger, M. R. (2022). Ingested nano- and microsized polystyrene particles surpass the intestinal barrier and accumulate in the body. NanoImpact, 25, 100374. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.impact.2021.100374

Abstract

Plastic pollution is a major global challenge of our times, baring a potential threat for the environment and the human health. The increasing abundance of nanoplastic (NP) and microplastic (MP) particles in the human diet might negatively affect human health since they - particularly in patients suffering from inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) – might surpass the intestinal barrier. To investigate whether ingested plastic particles cross the intestinal epithelium and promote bowel inflammation, mice were supplemented with NP or MP pol