The Role of Microplastics and Nanoplastics in Medicine

A special issue of Journal of Xenobiotics (ISSN 2039-4713).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 February 2027 | Viewed by 906

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Guest Editor
1. Department of Surgery, General Hospital of Eastern Achaia-Unit of Aigio, Aigio, Greece
2. Department of Surgery, University Hospital of Patras, 26504 Patras, Greece
Interests: general surgery; laparoscopic surgery; endocrine surgery; colorectal cancer; breast cancer
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Plastic pollution represents a major environmental challenge of the 21st century, exerting widespread and increasingly recognized impacts on ecosystems and human health. The dramatic escalation of global plastic production over the past seven decades has fundamentally altered environmental exposure patterns. The fragmentation of macroplastics through mechanical abrasion, ultraviolet radiation, and oxidative degradation generates microplastics (MPs) and nanoplastics (NPs), which now constitute a measurable fraction of atmospheric particulate matter. Microplastics and nanoplastics (MNPs) have been found in certain human tissues, including the placenta, lungs, and liver, as well as in breast milk, urine, and blood. Recent research conducted in preclinical models has suggested MNPs as a new risk factor for gastrointestinal malignancies, lung cancer, and vascular and cardiovascular diseases. Numerous studies have demonstrated that MNPs enter the human body through ingestion, inhalation, and skin exposure, where they interact with tissues and organs.

The scope of this Special Issue is to present novel data regarding the association of MNPs with medical diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases and malignancies (gastrointestinal malignancies, lung cancer, etc.), and gather information on the detection of MNPs.

We welcome review articles and original articles on basic, pre-clinical, clinical, and translational research.

Dr. Francesk Mulita
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • microplastics
  • nanoplastics
  • human health
  • cardiovascular disease
  • lung cancer
  • gastrointestinal malignancies
  • genotoxicity
  • exposure routes
  • tissue distribution
  • biomarkers

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Review

33 pages, 2547 KB  
Review
Inhaled Micro- and Nanoplastics as Environmental Modifiers of Lung Carcinogenesis: Mechanistic Insights and Evidence Synthesis
by Chrysa Andrikopoulou, Nikolaos E. Koletsis, Vasileios Leivaditis, Francesk Mulita, Sofoklis Mitsos, Periklis Tomos, Ioannis Panagiotopoulos, Vasiliki Androutsopoulou, Marios G. Kostakis, Nikolaos S. Thomaidis and Efstratios Koletsis
J. Xenobiotics 2026, 16(4), 136; https://doi.org/10.3390/jox16040136 - 26 Jul 2026
Viewed by 577
Abstract
The exponential rise in global plastic production has resulted in the widespread environmental dissemination of micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs) across air, water, and biological systems. Inhalation of airborne MNPs represents a biologically plausible pathway of pulmonary exposure, particularly within indoor and occupational environments. [...] Read more.
The exponential rise in global plastic production has resulted in the widespread environmental dissemination of micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs) across air, water, and biological systems. Inhalation of airborne MNPs represents a biologically plausible pathway of pulmonary exposure, particularly within indoor and occupational environments. Experimental evidence indicates that inhaled MNPs deposit within distal lung compartments, where their small aerodynamic diameter and surface reactivity may favor cellular uptake, oxidative stress induction, inflammatory activation, and prolonged biopersistence. Experimental studies further indicate that MNP exposure may induce DNA damage, chromosomal instability, and the dysregulation of signaling pathways involved in genomic integrity, thereby providing additional mechanistic support for their potential role in carcinogenesis. Chronic redox imbalance, macrophage dysfunction, inflammasome activation, epithelial–mesenchymal transition, and dysregulated cell adhesion collectively resemble mechanisms implicated in inflammation-associated carcinogenesis. Emerging in vitro and in vivo data further suggest that nanoplastics may function as tumor promoters or co-carcinogenic modifiers, particularly under chronic low-dose exposure or in combination with other airborne toxicants. However, human epidemiological evidence remains limited, and causality has not been established. This review synthesizes current mechanistic evidence regarding inhaled MNPs as potential modifiers of lung carcinogenesis, compares them with established inhaled carcinogens, and outlines critical research priorities necessary to clarify exposure–response relationships and clinical relevance. Current evidence supports biological plausibility rather than confirmed carcinogenic classification. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Microplastics and Nanoplastics in Medicine)
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