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Nanoplastics are neither microplastics nor engineered nanoparticles
Open accessAbstract
Increasing concern and research on the subject of plastic pollution has engaged the community of scientists working on the environmental health and safety of nanomaterials. While many of the methods developed in nano environment, health and safety work have general applicability to the study of particulate plastics, the nanometric size range has important consequences for both the analytical challenges of studying nanoscale plastics and the environmental implications of these incidental nanomaterials. Related to their size, nanoplastics are distinguished from microplastics with respect to their transport properties, interactions with light and natural colloids, a high fraction of particle molecules on the surface, bioavailability and diffusion times for the release of plastic additives. Moreover, they are distinguished from engineered nanomaterials because of their high particle heterogeneity and their potential for rapid further fragmentation in the environment. These characteristics impact environmental fate, potential effects on biota and human health, sampling and analysis. Like microplastics, incidentally produced nanoplastics exhibit a diversity of compositions and morphologies and a heterogeneity that is typically absent from engineered nanomaterials. Therefore, nanoscale plastics must be considered as distinct from both microplastics and engineered nanomaterials.
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“The possible formation of heteroaggregates between nanoplastics or other natural organic matter has long been recognized as a potential challenge in the analysis of nanoplastics and may influence toxicological outcomes within a biological exposure (11).”
From Rapid single-particle chemical imaging of nanoplastics by SRS microscopy (2024) · cites this paper as [11]
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Metadata
- Authors
- Gigault, J., El Hadri, H., Nguyen, B., Grassl, B., Rowenczyk, L., Tufenkji, N., Feng, S., & Wiesner, M.
- Affiliations
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR)
- McGill University (CA)
- Duke University (US)
- Venue
- Nature Nanotechnology
- Published
- 2021-04-29
- Volume
- 16
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 501-507
- ISSN
- 1748-3387 (ISSN-L)
- 1748-3395
- OpenAlex
- W3157443957
- Cited by
- 954
- References
- 60
- Citations by year
- 2026: 178 · 2025: 222 · 2024: 207 · 2023: 163 · 2022: 136 · 2021: 48
- FWCI
- 6.73
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- univ-pau.hal.science
- Licence
- Locations
- Nature Nanotechnology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- HAL (submittedVersion, other-oa)
- eScholarship@McGill (McGill) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Pollution › Microplastics and Plastic Pollution
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Pollution › Pharmaceutical and Antibiotic Environmental Impacts
- Physical Sciences › Materials Science › Materials Chemistry › Nanoparticles: synthesis and applications
- Keywords
- nanoplastics, microplastics, engineered nanoparticles, plastic pollution, environmental fate, particle size effects, fragmentation, polymer additives, bioavailability, environmental health and safety
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