ArticlePharmaceutics2021
Detection of Microplastic in Human Placenta and Meconium in a Clinical Setting.
Article in Pharmaceutics, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT05070715 (Comparison of Microplastic Levels in Placenta and Cord Blood Samples of Pregnant Women With Fetal Growth Retardation and Healthy Pregnant Women), which is not on this map. Cited by 129 papers, 6 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Comparison of Microplastic Levels in Placenta and Cord Blood Samples of Pregnant Women With Fetal Growth Retardation and Healthy Pregnant Women
Who cites it
129 citing papers in PubMed, 6 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 445 citations in OpenAlex.
- Micro- and nanoplastics in human biological materials: a systematic review of detection methods and methodological challenges.Archives of toxicology · 2026Pooled it
- Micro and Nanoplastics and Obstetric Outcomes in Humans and Animals: A Systematic Review.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2026Pooled it
- Health impacts of micro- and nanoplastics in humans: systematic review of in vivo evidence.Environmental health : a global access science source · 2026Pooled it
- From pollution to palpitations: the heart's silent battle with microplastics.BMC cardiovascular disorders · 2025Pooled it
- Systematic review of microplastics and nanoplastics in indoor and outdoor air: identifying a framework and data needs for quantifying human inhalation exposures.Journal of exposure science & environmental epidemiology · 2024Pooled it
- Toxicological effects of micro/nano-plastics on mouse/rat models: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Frontiers in public health · 2023Pooled it
- Human Exposure to Micro- and Nanoplastics:Environment & health (Washington, D.C.) · 2026Review
- Polyurethane-Derived Microplastics and Nanoplastics: Sources, Human Exposure, and Toxicological and Health Effects.Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Review
- Polystyrene Nanoparticles Cause Sex-Specific Toxicity in Male Zebrafish, Which Can Be Mitigated by Melatonin.Environmental toxicology · 2026Article
- Polystyrene nanoplastics disrupt mouse placenta development in a sex-dependent manner.Reproductive toxicology (Elmsford, N.Y.) · 2026Article
- Recent Advances in Plastic Waste Biodegradation: Microorganisms, Enzymes, Invertebrates, and Evidence Standards.Biology · 2026Review
- Microplastic-Mediated Gene Expression Alterations and Cancer Risk: Insights from Toxicogenomic Analysis.International journal of molecular sciences · 2026Review
- Micro- and Nanoplastics as Environmental Stressors: Mechanistic Links Among Gut Dysbiosis, Inflammation, and Systemic Health Effects.Journal of xenobiotics · 2026Review
- Challenges and solutions in the analysis of micro- and nanoplastics down to 500 nm with automated Raman microspectroscopy: suitable filters, accuracy in the detection, identification, and quantification.Analytical and bioanalytical chemistry · 2026Article
- Microplastic Identification Methods for Microfluidic Applications: Towards Rapid Detection in Aquatic Environments.Polymers · 2026Review
- Article
- Investigating the Impact of Carboxylated Polystyrene Nanoplastics in the Liver Using Cell Lines and Precision-Cut Liver Slices.Liver international : official journal of the International Association for the Study of the Liver · 2026Article
- Microplastics in nucleus pulposus tissue of humans revealed by Raman mosaic imaging screening.Scientific reports · 2026Article
- Micro- and Nanoplastics as Emerging Drivers of Liver Injury: Exposure, Evidence, and Mechanisms.International journal of molecular sciences · 2026Review
- Plastic Degradation Potential and Metagenomic Analysis of an Enriched Gut Microbial Consortium fromMicroorganisms · 2026Article
69 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
7 authors at 3 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
Abstract
Environmental pollution with microplastics (MPs) is a major and worldwide concern. Involuntary exposure to MPs by ingestion or inhalation is unavoidable. The effects on human health are still under debate, while in animals, cellular MP translocation and subsequent deleterious effects were shown. First reports indicate a potential intrauterine exposure with MPs, yet readouts are prone to contamination.
methodTo establish a thorough protocol for the detection of MPs in human placenta and fetal meconium in a real-life clinical setting, a pilot study was set up to screen for MPs > 50 µm in placental tissue and meconium sampled during two cesarean sections for breech deliveries. After chemical digestion of non-plastic material, Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) microspectroscopy was used to analyze the presence of 10 common types of microplastic in placenta and stool samples.
resultsHuman placenta and meconium samples were screened positive for polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, and polyurethane, of which only the latter one was also detected as airborne fallout in the operating room-thus representing potential contamination.
conclusionWe found MPs > 50 µm in placenta and meconium acquired from cesarean delivery. Critical evaluation of potential contamination sources is pivotal and may guide future clinical studies to improve the correct detection of MPs in organ tissue. Studies investigating nano-sized plastics in human tissue are warranted.
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What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.