Microplastics & Humans
Devices and packagings from chemo-synthetic polymers can be non-specifically degraded in natural environments. The microplastics generated can be taken up by humans unintentionally. Then, they distribute in human body by different pathways and accumulate in specific organs. The exact amount of particles and their potential for biodistribution and toxicity in humans remain under public debate.
Publications (short selection)
Holger Siega, H., Ottb, F., Böhmerta, L., Druschc, S., Thünemannd, A.F., Rohnb, S., Kieserlingb, H. (2026) Unraveling Nanoplastics-Enzyme Interactions: Physicochemical, Structural, Functional, and Cell Biological Characterization of α-Amylase Nanoplastics Complexes. Langmuir
Bai, S., Rau, S.J., Steinberg, T., Tomakidi, P., Polydorou, O. (2026) A Dusty Affair: SIRT1-S682 Modulation Orchestrates ERK FN1–p38–NF-κB Signaling and Composite-Dependent IL-8 Responses in Gingival Keratinocytes Exposed to Dental Dust and Eluates. International of functional Biomaterials 17,264 https://doi.org/10.3390/jfb17060264
Bashirova, N., Schölzel, F., Hornig, D., Scheidt, H. A., Krueger, M., Salvan, G., Huster, D., Matysik, J., Alia, A. (2025). The Effect of Polyethylene Terephthalate Nanoplastics on Amyloid-β Peptide Fibrillation. Molecules, 30(7), 1432. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules30071432
Drometer, E., Rähse, T., Knöchelmann, A., Leipold, S., Miclea, P., Wehrspohn, R., Dannemann, S. (2026) Everyday Certainty and Scientific Uncertainty: Potentials of Scientists’ Perspectives from Microplastics Research to Address Uncertainty in Science Education. International Journal of Science Education (TSED)
Heinzelmann, J., Vaghasiya, H., Gadara, M.D., Gramsall, S., Viestenz, A., Nguyen, H.T., Miclea, P.T. (2026) Microplastic contamination associated with contact lenses and related ophthalmic materials under real-world conditions. Contact Lens and Anterior Eye
Lehner, E., Scheffler, J., Hoernke, M., Liebau, A., Vaghasiya, H., Garada, M., Nguyen, H.T., Gramsall, S., Plontke, S.K., Miclea, P.T. (2026) Micro- and nanoplastic release upon simulated cleaning of tracheostomy tubes: Experimental evaluation and particle characterization. Journal of Hazardous Materials: Plastics, (3), 100051. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hazmp.2026.100051.
Saemann, L., Stiller, M., Vaghasiya, H., Gadara, M., Gramsall, S., Großkopf, A., Simm, A., Szabó, G., Miclea, P.T. (2026) Polymeric micro- and nanoparticle release from cardiopulmonary bypass and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation circuits. Biomed. Eng.-Biomed. Tech. 71(2): 103–111
https://doi.org/10.1515/bmt-2025-0480
, R.G., , A.F., , Z., Marinow, A., Hoppe, R., Woltersdorf, G., Du, M., Androsch, R., Martins de Souza e Silva, J., Busse, K., Binder, W.H. (2026). Generating Tagged Micro- and Nanoparticles of Poly(ethylene furanoate) and Poly(ethylene terephthalate) as Reference Materials. Macromolecular Rapid Communications 47, 4 : e00839. https://doi.org/10.1002/marc.202500839