Scientists have developed a powerful method that shows how microscopic plastics travel through digestive cells while those cells stay alive, according to research published in the journal Light: Science & Applications.
The new approach pairs miniature intestines created in laboratories with special light-based tracking technology. Researchers from universities in Belgium, Austria, Germany, and the United States worked together on this method, which attaches red-glowing tags to plastic bits tinier than 200 billionths of a meter.
This discovery matters because these plastic specks have been found throughout the human body, including in bloodstreams, brain tissue, and stomachs. Until now, scientists couldn't watch these particles interact with active cells in real time.
The tracking system works by making various plastic types shine with different light patterns when hit by lasers. Each plastic variety produces its own visual signature, which lets researchers identify and follow several plastic types simultaneously inside the same cell samples.
During experiments, the team found that plastics behaved differently in various cell areas. Some plastics clung to cell exteriors, while others entered cell interiors. The specks also acted differently in swine and rodent cell samples, hinting that plastic uptake might change between animals.
The tracking system showed such precision that it could spot single plastic specks at very low amounts. This accuracy helps scientists see where plastics gather in cells and how those cells react.
This technology could expedite the creation of treatments or protective steps against plastic contact. Learning how our bodies handle these specks marks the first step toward keeping ourselves safe from possible damage.
The research group also discovered that some plastic varieties changed immune responses in gut cells after only two days of exposure. This finding shows why monitoring plastic movement through our bodies matters for everyone's health.
This tracking ability comes as people face increasing exposure to tiny plastics through meals, drinks, and breathing. The new spotting technique provides researchers with better tools to study these interactions and develop solutions to mitigate the impact of plastic on human health.
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