What question did this study set out to answer?

The main aim is to address the risks posed by nanoplastics to human health using a new integrated framework.

April 10, 2026Open Access

Nanoplastics: An Emerging Threat to Human Health—A Perspective Review

Key Points

The main aim is to address the risks posed by nanoplastics to human health using a new integrated framework.
Proposal of the exposome-microbiome-immune framework for risk assessment.
Validation of nano–Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy for monitoring.
Suggestions for multigenerational studies in zebrafish and organoids for exploring toxic effects.
Call for longitudinal cohorts aimed at biomonitoring nanoplastic exposure.
Current risk assessment methods for nanoplastics are unstandardized and lack realistic exposure data.
The proposed framework aims to improve detection and understanding of systemic effects of nanoplastics.
A shift from descriptive reviews to comprehensive systems toxicology is necessary for accurate risk evaluation.

Abstract

Nanoplastics (NPs, <100 nm) have emerged as nano-scale contaminants with superior mobility and biological barrier-crossing capacity, yet risk assessment fails due to unstandardized analytical methods and a lack of realistic exposure data. This perspective proposes an “Exposome–Microbiome–Immune” (EMI) framework as a One Health paradigm to integrate detection, toxicokinetics, and systemic effects. We prioritize the following actions: (i) validated nano–Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (nanoFTIR) and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) for environmental/human monitoring; (ii) multigenerational studies in zebrafish and organoids; (iii) longitudinal cohorts for biomonitoring. Without shifting from descriptive reviews to systems toxicology, NP risk will remain underestimated.

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Authors

José Alberto Gonçalves

João Pequeno

Davor Kržišnik

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University of Ljubljana

Universidade Nova de Lisboa

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Nanoplastics: An Emerging Threat to Human Health—A Perspective Review

Key Points

Abstract

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