Guidance and Research

Research-backed explanations of how microplastics and nanoplastics move through water, food, air, and the human body. We summarize primary research, identify uncertainty and testing limits, and link claims to sources so readers can check the evidence.

Can RO Membranes Shed Nanoplastic In Drinking Water?
Can RO Membranes Shed Nanoplastic In Drinking Water?
RO membranes are polymer-based, so shedding is plausible. This exploratory test found clues, limitations, and the next steps needed for a defensible answer. Read more...
Our Water Testing Journey at UCSD
Our Water Testing Journey at UCSD
What We Have Learned So Far For the past several months, I have been trying to answer a difficult question: How can we test water for extremely small plastic particles... Read more...
Lab Testing for Nanoplastics: Why no single test tells the whole story
Lab Testing for Nanoplastics: Why no single test tells the whole story
A practical guide to nanoplastics testing methods, the difference between identification and measurement, and why laboratories often need multiple techniques. Read more...
What Research Tells Us About Potential Health Risks: Microplastics in the Human Body
What Research Tells Us About Potential Health Risks: Microplastics in the Human Body
  Microscopic plastic particles have become impossible to avoid in modern life. These tiny fragments, found in our food, water, and air, are accumulating in human bodies worldwide. Scientists are... Read more...
How Microplastics and Nanoplastics Enter Your Body: Daily Exposure
How Microplastics and Nanoplastics Enter Your Body: Daily Exposure
A research-backed overview of how microplastics and nanoplastics enter the body through food, water, indoor air, dust, and other exposure routes. Read more...
How Airborne Microplastics Enter Your Lungs: What Size Really Matters
How Airborne Microplastics Enter Your Lungs: What Size Really Matters
Understanding which plastic particles you breathe and where they end up in your body Every breath you take likely contains microscopic plastic particles. Scientists have now found these fragments in... Read more...
The Nanoplastic Ingestion Problem: Why We Can't Measure It
The Nanoplastic Ingestion Problem: Why We Can't Measure It
When it comes to microplastic absorption in the human body, the smallest particles pose the biggest unknowns. While research shows that larger plastic particles mostly pass through our digestive systems, a... Read more...