Toxicological effects of micro/nano-plastics on human reproductive health: A review
Talaie A. Alaee S. Hosseini E. Rezania S. Tamadon A.
October 2025Elsevier Ireland Ltd
Toxicology Letters
2025#4121 - 20 pp.
Micro/Nano-plastics (MNPs), including microplastics (MPs; <5 mm) and nanoplastics (NPs; <100 nm), have become pervasive environmental pollutants due to extensive plastic production and insufficient recycling practices. These particles originate from the degradation of larger plastic materials through processes such as photo-oxidation, thermo-oxidation, and incomplete biodegradation, resulting in chemically reactive fragments that persist in air, water, and food. Once released, MNPs enter the human body primarily via ingestion, inhalation, and dermal absorption, ultimately accumulating in various tissues, including reproductive organs. This review provides a comprehensive summary of current knowledge regarding the toxicological effects of MNPs on male and female reproductive health, with a focus on mammalian models and relevance to human exposure. In males, MNPs have been associated with testicular damage, impaired spermatogenesis, reduced sperm count and motility, and disruptions in the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis. In females, exposure has been linked to altered folliculogenesis, disrupted ovarian hormone levels, impaired oocyte quality, and placental dysfunction. These effects are largely driven by mechanisms involving oxidative stress, inflammation, endocrine disruption, mitochondrial dysfunction, and apoptosis. Furthermore, MNPs have been shown to disrupt gut microbiota composition, contributing to systemic inflammation and reproductive dysfunction through emerging pathways such as the gut–testis axis. Given their widespread presence and multifaceted modes of action, MNPs pose a serious threat to human reproductive health. Therefore, there is an urgent need for stricter environmental regulations, improved waste management, and further research to understand the long-term and transgenerational consequences of MNP exposure.
Endocrine disruption , Environmental exposure , Gut microbiota , Microplastics , Nanoparticles , Plastic degradation , Reproductive toxicity
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Department of Civil Engineering, Jami Institute of Technology, Isfahan, Iran
Plant Design Department, Pars Abnoos Sanat Consulting Engineering Company, Shiraz, Iran
Department of Natural Sciences, West Kazakhstan Marat Ospanov Medical University, Aktobe, 030012, Kazakhstan
Department of Reproductive Biology, School of Advanced Medical Sciences and Technologies, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
Stem Cells Technology Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
Infertility Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Health and Metabolic Diseases Research Institute, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran
Zanjan Metabolic Diseases Research Center, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran
Department of Environment and Energy, Sejong University, Seoul, 05006, South Korea
Department of Civil Engineering
Plant Design Department
Department of Natural Sciences
Department of Reproductive Biology
Stem Cells Technology Research Center
Infertility Research Center
Social Determinants of Health Research Center
Zanjan Metabolic Diseases Research Center
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Department of Environment and Energy
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