Cited by 482Microplastics and Plastic PollutionNanoparticles: synthesis and applicationsAir Quality and Health Impacts

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Nanopolystyrene translocation and fetal deposition after acute lung exposure during late-stage pregnancy

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Fournier, Sara B., D’Errico, Jeanine N., Adler, Derek S., Kollontzi, Stamatina, Goedken, Michael J., Fabris, Laura, Yurkow, Edward J., Stapleton, Phoebe A.·2020·Particle and Fibre Toxicology

DOI 10.1186/s12989-020-00385-9PMC PMC7585297

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Abstract

Background: Plastic is everywhere. It is used in food packaging, storage containers, electronics, furniture, clothing, and common single-use disposable items. Microplastic and nanoplastic particulates are formed from bulk fragmentation and disintegration of plastic pollution. Plastic particulates have recently been detected in indoor air and remote atmospheric fallout. Due to their small size, microplastic and nanoplastic particulate in the atmosphere can be inhaled and may pose a risk for human health, specifically in susceptible populations. When inhaled, nanosized particles have been shown to translocate across pulmonary cell barriers to secondary organs, including the placenta. However, the potential for maternal-to-fetal translocation of nanosized-plastic particles and the impact of nanoplastic deposition or accumulation on fetal health remain unknown. In this study we investigated whether nanopolystyrene particles can cross the placental barrier and deposit in fetal tissues after maternal pulmonary exposure. Results: Pregnant Sprague Dawley rats were exposed to 20 nm rhodamine-labeled nanopolystyrene beads (2.64 × 10 14 particles) via intratracheal instillation on gestational day (GD) 19. Twenty-four hours later on GD 20, maternal and fetal tissues were evaluated using fluorescent optical imaging. Fetal tissues were fixed for particle visualization with hyperspectral microscopy. Using isolated placental perfusion, a known concentration of nanopolystyrene was injected into the uterine artery. Maternal and fetal effluents were collected for 180 min and assessed for polystyrene particle concentration. Twenty-four hours after maternal exposure, fetal and placental weights were significantly lower (7 and 8%, respectively) compared with controls. Nanopolystyrene particles were detected in the maternal lung, heart, and spleen. Polystyrene nanoparticles were also observed in the placenta, fetal liver, lungs, heart, kidney, and brain suggesting maternal lung-to-fetal tissue nanoparticle translocation in late stage pregnancy. Conclusion: These studies confirm that maternal pulmonary exposure to nanopolystyrene results in the translocation of plastic particles to placental and fetal tissues and renders the fetoplacental unit vulnerable to adverse effects. These data are vital to the understanding of plastic particulate toxicology and the developmental origins of health and disease.

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Fig. 1 Schematic of nanoplastic exposure and dosimetry. a We utilized a 1 mm2 microparticle as a representative microplastic (blue). The extrapolation of this microplastic microparticle to a nanoparticle is 1 × 106. Our representative nanopolystyrene nanobeads are spherical and 21 nm in diameter (red). Therefore, there would be 2.39 × 1014 nanopolystyrene beads in a single plastic microparticle. b Cox et al. identified that women inhale an average of 132 microplastics. The upper bound of this measurement (279 microplastics), is more representative of exposure for pregnant women. The calculated dosage is 6.67 × 1016 nanopolystyrene beads. c The surface area of the Sprague Dawley rat lung is significantly smaller (0.409 m2) compared with the human lung (62.7 m2). The calculated dose for a laboratory rat is 4.34 × 1014. The exposure dose used in these studies was 2.64 × 1014 nanopolystyrene beadsCC BY · PubMed Central

Fig. 2 Optical images of maternal and fetal tissues. Graphical representation of the optical intensities between a maternal and b fetal control and exposed tissues. n = 6–8 pregnant rats. Values are shown as mean ± SEM. Statistics were analyzed with a Student’s t-test. (*p ≤ 0.05; T ≤ 0.10)CC BY · PubMed Central

Fig. 3 Identification and visualization of nanopolystyrene particle deposition within the fetal tissues placenta after material pulmonary exposure using enhanced hyperspectral microscopy (CytoViva, Inc.). These tissues include fetal a liver, b lung, c kidney, d heart, and e brain. n = 3 fetuses from 3 different pregnant rats. Polystyrene nanoparticles are identified as white specs within the imagesCC BY · PubMed Central

Fig. 4 Identification of rhodamine-labeled nanopolystyrene bead translocation based on increased fluorescence through the a distal uterine effluent and b umbilical vein effluent over time. n = 9–24. c Time-course of fluid flow through the umbilical vein between saline (black) and nanopolystyrene (red) infused placenta. n = 6–8. Values are shown as mean ± SEM and presented as percent above baseline. Statistics were analyzed with Student’s t-test (*p ≤ 0.05; T ≤ 0.10)CC BY · PubMed Central

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“Exposure to NPs results in reduced rats fetal and placental weights and increased number of fetal reabsorptions (Fournier et al. 2020).”
Impact of maternal microplastic exposure on offspring lung structure and function: Insights into transcriptional misregulation and the TGF-β/α-SMA pathway
Yu, H., Tiao, M., Huang, S., Sheu, J. J., Tain, Y., Sheen, J., Lin, I.-C. F., Tsai, C., Huang, L., Hsu, C., et al. (2025) · Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety · doi:10.1016/j.ecoenv.2025.118397 · Cited by 15
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“Animal studies reveal that acute maternal inhalation of MPs (20 nm, 1% concentration, 300 μ L) leads to cardiac deposition in both dams and offspring (73), whereas oral MP intake (50 mg/mL, 60 nm) showed no significant cardiac accumulation (74).”
Release Characteristics of Small-Sized Microplastics in Bottled Drinks Using Flow Cytometry Sorting and Nile Red Staining
Zhou, P., Zhang, K., Zhang, T., Cen, C., Zheng, Y., & Shuai, Y. (2024) · Water · doi:10.3390/w16131898 · Cited by 15
Exploring the Interaction of Human α-Synuclein with Polyethylene Nanoplastics: Insights from Computational Modeling and Experimental Corroboration
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“Studies have demonstrated that MNPs can translocate from maternal systems to the placenta and fetal tissues, including the liver, lung, heart, kidney, and brain [26].”
Evidence of microplastic accumulation on the surface of lettuce and analysis of contamination sources
Bai, Y., Song, Y., He, X., He, W., Chen, Y., Zhao, M. M., Zhang, J., Han, W., & Bai, W. (2025) · Journal of Hazardous Materials · doi:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2025.138201 · Cited by 13
Nanoplastics Chronic Toxicity in Mice: Disturbing the Homeostasis of Tryptophan Metabolism in Gut‐Lung‐Microbiota Axis
Wu, Y., Yao, Y., Shen, Y., Bai, H., Zhang, L. M., & Zhang, C. (2025) · Small · doi:10.1002/smll.202412286 · Cited by 12
Environmentally relevant UV-light weathering of polystyrene micro- and nanoplastics promotes hepatotoxicity in a human cell line
Englert, F. H., Müller, F. A., Dugershaw, B. B., Kissling, V. M., Boentges, S., Gupta, G. S., Fontana, G. A., Diedrich, S., Suter‐Dick, L., Sturla, S. J., et al. (2023) · Environmental Science Nano · doi:10.1039/d3en00044c · Cited by 13
Uptake and effects of polystyrene nanoplastics in comparison to non-plastic silica nanoparticles on small intestine cells (IPEC-J2)
Binder, A. R. D., Mussack, V., Kirchner, B., & Pfaffl, M. W. (2023) · Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety · doi:10.1016/j.ecoenv.2023.115147 · Cited by 11
Plastics
Walker-Franklin, I., & Jambeck, J. (2023) · The MIT Press eBooks · doi:10.7551/mitpress/14571.001.0001 · Cited by 11
Microplastic exposure and its consequences for renal and urinary health: systematic review of in vivo studies
Aditya, M. R., Muhammad, A. R., Adriansyah, V., Samsu, N., & Sulistomo, H. W. (2025) · All Life · doi:10.1080/26895293.2025.2457760 · Cited by 12
Microplastics in Dairy Products: Occurrence, Characterization, Contamination Sources, Detection Methods, and Future Challenges
Gürmeriç, H. E., & Başaran, B. (2025) · Applied Sciences · doi:10.3390/app15179411 · Cited by 16
Discovery of microplastics and nanoplastics in pediatric myocardium and blood
Lv, L., Lang, X., Sun, Y., Li, G., Wu, Y., Liu, Z., & Wang, Q. (2025) · Environmental Technology & Innovation · doi:10.1016/j.eti.2025.104371 · Cited by 11
Microplastics exposure and immunologic response
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Exposure to polystyrene nanoplastics induces lysosomal enlargement and lipid droplet accumulation in KGN human ovarian granulosa cells
Zhang, Y., Hales, B. F., & Robaire, B. (2025) · Archives of Toxicology · doi:10.1007/s00204-025-03969-6 · Cited by 13
“Previous studies have reported that PSNPs accumulate in female reproductive tissues, can cross the placental barrier, and may have adverse effects on progeny outcome (Fournier et al. 2020).”
Maternal exposure to polystyrene nanoplastics induces sex-specific kidney injury in offspring
Chen, X., Wang, L., Liu, K., Wang, Q., Li, R., Niu, L., & Wu, H. (2025) · Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety · doi:10.1016/j.ecoenv.2025.118006 · Cited by 13
Gestational exposure to micro- and nanoplastics leads to poor pregnancy outcomes by impairing placental trophoblast syncytialization
Cheng, Y., Li, Y., Zhang, Y., Liu, H., Yang, B., Zhu, J., & Kuang, H. (2025) · Environmental Pollution · doi:10.1016/j.envpol.2025.126520 · Cited by 12
Airborne microplastics and their impact on human health: A critical review
Zhang, Y., Kumar, P., Yuan, J., Haleem, N., Traub, J., Gu, Z., & Yang, X. (2025) · Journal of Environmental Sciences · doi:10.1016/j.jes.2025.06.047 · Cited by 14
Counteracting the Harms of Microplastics on Humans: An Overview from the Perspective of Exposure
Tang, K. H. D. (2025) · Microplastics · doi:10.3390/microplastics4030047 · Cited by 19
“Alarmingly, inhaled microplastics have been found to migrate to placental and fetal tissues [44].”
Polystyrene nanoplastics induced lung injury in mice: Insights into lung metabolic disorders
Wang, Z., Wang, N., Jiang, S., Shi, R., Wang, R., & Wu, W. (2025) · Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety · doi:10.1016/j.ecoenv.2025.119060 · Cited by 10
Micro(Nano)Plastics as Carriers of Toxic Agents and Their Impact on Human Health
Morales-Cano, K. L., Hermida-Castellanos, L., Adame-Adame, C. M., Peláez, L. A. P., & Peña-Montes, C. (2023) · Environmental sciences · doi:10.5772/intechopen.111889 · Cited by 10
Microplastic Pollution in Indian Aquatic Ecosystems: Insights and Implications
Resmi, M. R., & Vaishnavi, V. (2024) · Water Air & Soil Pollution · doi:10.1007/s11270-024-07640-1 · Cited by 9
“…and apoptosis was observed after exposure of 24 h. Reproductive health is adversely affected by certain additives that leach from microplastics since they are endocrine dis-ruptors, such phthalates (Deng et al., 2017; Fournier et al., 2020; Zhang, Han, et al., 2023; Zhang, Wang, et al., 2023).”
Exposure to nano-polystyrene during pregnancy leads to Alzheimer's disease-related pathological changes in adult offspring
Wang, F., Wang, J., Luo, N., Luo, Y., Gao, Z., Ye, C., Jiang, M., Shen, Z., Xiao, J., Xue, P., et al. (2025) · Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety · doi:10.1016/j.ecoenv.2025.117736 · Cited by 13
Biochemical Effects of Microplastics on Human Health: A Comprehensive Review
Anih, D. C., Arowora, A. K., Abah, M. A., & Ugwuoke, K. C. (2025) · Science International · doi:10.17311/sciintl.2025.27.34 · Cited by 11
Microplastics and child health: A scoping review of prenatal and early-life exposure routes and potential health risks
Nadarasan, S., Phuna, Z. X., Zaman, R., Tan, C. K., Bustami, N. A., Ho, Y. B., Kosasih, S. J., & Tan, E. S. S. (2025) · Toxicology Reports · doi:10.1016/j.toxrep.2025.102143 · Cited by 14
“Research using mammalian models has proven that nano-polystyrene particles can move from the maternal lungs, cross the placenta, and reach the fetal ’ s kidney, heart, lungs, liver, and brain during late-stage pregnancy [64].”
Development of coronary dysfunction in adult progeny after maternal engineered nanomaterial inhalation during gestation
Fournier, S., Lam, V., Goedken, M. J., Fabris, L., & Stapleton, P. A. (2021) · Scientific Reports · doi:10.1038/s41598-021-98818-8 · Cited by 9
Self-citation
Potential human health effects following exposure to nano- and microplastics, lessons learned from nanomaterials
Brouwer, H., Oijen, F. L. N. V., & Bouwmeester, H. (2022) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-819470-6.00014-7 · Cited by 9
Axis-based propagation of nanoplastic toxicity: organ–organ crosstalk and systemic pathophysiological outcomes
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“Once absorbed, they trans-locate across the intestinal epithelium, alveolar membranes, skin, and even highly selective physiological barriers, such as the blood–brain barrier (BBB), blood–testis barrier (BTB), and placenta (Fournier et al. 2020; Shan et al. 2022).”
Detection of microplastics in the feline placenta and fetus
Ferraboschi, I., Canzolino, F., Ferrari, E., Sissa, C., Masino, M., Rizzi, M., Bussolati, S., Basini, G., Bertini, S., Grolli, S., et al. (2025) · PLoS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0320694 · Cited by 8
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Exploring the influence of polystyrene-nanoplastics on two distinct in vitro systems in farm animals: A pilot study
Pause, F. C., Baufeld, A., Urli, S., et al. (2025) · The Science of The Total Environment · doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2025.179378 · Cited by 8
Assessing microplastics as a novel threat to maternal-fetal health: Placental barrier penetration and fetal developmental consequences
Mathew, A. S., Harjith, A., & Guruvayoorappan, C. (2025) · Reproductive Toxicology · doi:10.1016/j.reprotox.2025.109021 · Cited by 10
Gestational exposure to micro and nanoplastics differentially impacts cardiac development and function in male and female rats throughout the lifespan
Cary, C. M., Adams, S. E., Moreno, G. M., Seymore, T., Polunas, M., Goedken, M. J., Wang, X., Yurkow, E. J., & Stapleton, P. A. (2025) · Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology · doi:10.1016/j.taap.2025.117507 · Cited by 10
Self-citation
Microplastic pollution in water Systems of the Global South: A review
Saadat, A. M., Emami, S. K., Hamidifar, H., & Shilsar, M. J. F. (2025) · Journal of Contaminant Hydrology · doi:10.1016/j.jconhyd.2025.104729 · Cited by 8
Health Risks of Prenatal and Early-Life Microplastics Exposure: A Comprehensive Review
Zhang, H., Ding, X., Zheng, H., Ma, Q., & Zhang, T. (2025) · Environment & Health · doi:10.1021/envhealth.5c00388 · Cited by 13
“66 This study offered the first in vivo evidence supporting the transplacental transport of micro-plastics.”
Influential
Placental transfer and hazards of silver nanoparticles exposure during pregnancy: a review
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“Inhalable nanoparticles are presumed to interact with the placenta through systemic circulation from the lung (Adamcakova-Dodd et al. 2015; Fournier et al. 2020; Liu et al. 2021; Wu et al. 2020).”
Screening of optimal cleaning methods to reduce microplastic residues on strawberry surfaces: Characterization of microplastics in strawberry wash water
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Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) microplastics affect angiogenesis and central nervous system (CNS) development of duck embryo
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Neurofluids—Deep inspiration, cilia and preloading of the astrocytic network
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Insights into microplastic exposure routes in the earthworm (Eisenia fetida): Gut and skin
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Dysregulation of SUSD2-CLDN18.2-mediated cell adhesion contributes to lung adenocarcinoma progression associated with chronic low-dose nanoplastics exposure
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Authors: Fournier, S. B., D’Errico, J. N., Adler, D. S., Kollontzi, S., Goedken, M. J., Fabris, L., Yurkow, E. J., & Stapleton, P. A.
Affiliations: Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey (US)
Corresponding author: Stapleton, Phoebe A.
ORCID: D’Errico, Jeanine N.
Goedken, Michael J.
Fabris, Laura
Yurkow, Edward J.
Stapleton, Phoebe A.
Venue: Particle and Fibre Toxicology
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published: 2020-10-24
Volume: 17
Issue: 1
Pages: 55-55
ISSN: 1743-8977 (ISSN-L)
DOI: 10.1186/s12989-020-00385-9
PMC: PMC7585297
OpenAlex: W3094032648
Semantic Scholar: dcf614bf21877a0149197c66ae35c909f27165a8
Cited by: 482
References: 60
Citations by year: 2026: 73 · 2025: 111 · 2024: 110 · 2023: 95 · 2022: 67 · 2021: 26
FWCI: 11.59
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: gold
doi.org
Licence: cc-by
creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 (tdm)
creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 (vor)
Locations: Particle and Fibre Toxicology (publishedVersion, cc-by)
Research Square (acceptedVersion, cc-by)
PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
PubMed (publishedVersion)
PORTO@Iris (submittedVersion, cc-by)
Rutgers University Community Repository (Rutgers University) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
Funders: National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (R00-ES024783, P30-ES005022, T32-ES007148)
Topics: Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Pollution › Microplastics and Plastic Pollution
Physical Sciences › Materials Science › Materials Chemistry › Nanoparticles: synthesis and applications
Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis › Air Quality and Health Impacts
Keywords: polystyrene nanoparticles, nanoplastics, placental barrier, fetal growth restriction, placental perfusion, intratracheal instillation, developmental origins of health and disease
MeSH terms: Animals, Female, Fetus, Humans, Maternal-Fetal Exchange, Particle Size, Placenta, Plastics, Polystyrenes, Pregnancy, Rats, Sprague-Dawley, Maternal Exposure, Inhalation Exposure, Rats

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Nanopolystyrene translocation and fetal deposition after acute lung exposure during late-stage pregnancy

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