Scientists map microplastics in human tissue without causing damage


Researchers have visualised microplastics inside human tissue without destroying it for the first time – a breakthrough that could help uncover how plastic pollution affects human health.


A team from MedUni Vienna, working with colleagues at the Research Centre for Non-Destructive Testing (RECENDT) in Linz, has adapted a technique known as optical photothermal infrared spectroscopy (OPTIR) to detect and map microplastic particles directly within intact samples of human tissue. The fi ndings, published in Analytical Chemistry [1] and Scientifi c Reports [2], mark a major step forward in microplastics research.


Until now, studying microplastics in the body has been limited by destructive analytical methods, which made it impossible to pinpoint


exactly where the particles were located. OPTIR changes that by using infrared light to identify the chemical ‘fi ngerprint’ of plastics such as polyethylene (PE), polystyrene (PS) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET), while preserving tissue structure.


Even more importantly, the team successfully applied the method to formalin-fi xed, paraffi n- embedded (FFPE) tissue – the same type routinely stored in pathology labs worldwide. This allows researchers to link plastic contamination directly to microscopic and genetic changes in human tissue.


Using this approach, scientists identifi ed several types of microplastics in human colon samples, often concentrated in areas showing infl ammation. Further tests in mice and 3D cell cultures revealed that the technique can


detect particles as small as 250 nanometres (0.00025 mm).


“By combining infrared fi ngerprinting with non-destructive imaging, we can now see exactly where microplastics end up in the body and how they relate to disease processes,” said Lukas Kenner of MedUni Vienna’s Clinical Department of Pathology, who led the research. “It’s a crucial step towards understanding the health consequences of microplastic exposure.”


Because OPTIR retains both the spatial and chemical information of samples, it provides a bridge between environmental science, toxicology, and pathology — opening the door to comprehensive, real-world assessments of plastic exposure.


As microplastics continue to infi ltrate


food, water, and air, the ability to trace their journey through human tissue could be key to understanding the health impact of microplastic exposure.


More information online: ilmt.co/PL/8eRR and ilmt.co/PL/ZOpY


1. Detection of Unlabeled Polystyrene Micro- and Nanoplastics in Mammalian Tissue by Optical Photothermal Infrared Spectroscopy published in Analytical Chemistry DOI: 10.1021/ acs.analchem.4c05400


2. Unveiling Hidden Threats: Introduction of a Routine Workfl ow for Label-Free and Non-destructive Detection of Microplastics in Human FFPE Tissue Sections published in Scientifi c Reports


66204pr@reply-direct.com Research award to map the brain’s electrical circuits


A bioengineer at the University of Nottingham has secured a Wellcome Accelerator Award to develop a new way of visualising how electrical signals travel through the brain - a longstanding challenge in neuroscience.


Dr Sidahmed Abayzeed, Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Engineering, has been awarded £200,000 to advance NeurOhmics, a platform that combines ultra-high-resolution optical microscopy with electrical impedance measurements and artifi cial intelligence. The approach aims to generate detailed electrical ‘maps’ of individual neurons, revealing how their properties change over time and during disease progression.


Neurons communicate using electrical signals, yet key characteristics such as resistance and capacitance - which determine how effi ciently those signals propagate - remain largely invisible along the length of a single cell. This knowledge gap has limited understanding of brain function and neurological disorders, which collectively affect around three billion people worldwide.


NeurOhmics seeks to overcome this barrier by enabling, for the fi rst time, spatially resolved electrical imaging of neurons. The project will lay the groundwork for larger research programmes and international collaborations focused on brain health and disease.


The work is being developed in the Optocoulombics Lab at the University of Nottingham, where Dr Abayzeed’s team creates tools to study charge interactions at micro- and nanoscale dimensions. Charge dynamics underpin many biological processes, from neural signalling and muscle contraction to hormonal regulation, and deeper insight could inspire advances well beyond neuroscience.


The Wellcome Accelerator Award supports UK researchers of Black, Bangladeshi and Pakistani heritage to strengthen their progression to the next stage of an academic career. In addition to advancing the science, the award will also support a mentoring initiative aimed at fostering a more inclusive research community.


Commenting on the award, Dr Abayzeed said it marked a major milestone for a concept he has been developing for nearly a decade, enabling his team to tackle fundamental questions about how electrical signals propagate in the brain and opening new possibilities for understanding neurological disease.


More information online: ilmt.co/PL/lMB7 and /ilmt.co/PL/23z2


66443pr@reply-direct.com Dr Sidamhed Abazyeed. Credit: University of Nottingham


Bacterial argonautes reveal self-sacrificing viral defence strategy


Vilnius University researchers have uncovered the molecular mechanics behind a powerful bacterial defence system, revealing how SPARDA (Short Prokaryotic Argonaute, DNase associated) proteins orchestrate the self-destruction of infected cells to block viral spread. Published in Cell Research, the study [1] combines cutting-edge microscopy and structural biology to shed light on a long-standing mystery in bacterial immunity.


Bacteria and viruses have been locked in a molecular arms race for billions of years. While systems like CRISPR-Cas are well understood, many other defence mechanisms, including SPARDA, remained largely unexplored - until now. SPARDA activates only when an invading virus is detected, sacrifi cing the infected bacterium to protect the wider population.


The breakthrough came through a combination of cryo-electron microscopy, X-ray crystallography, and single-molecule imaging, which allowed the team to capture SPARDA proteins at atomic resolution. They discovered that activation begins with an Argonaute protein, which recognises viral RNA fragments. A key structural element, the ‘beta-relay’, switches from an inactive ‘OFF’ state to an active ‘ON’ state, transmitting a signal that triggers fi lament formation. These spiraling protein fi laments


“This is a kind of cellular altruism – one bacterium dies to stop the infection and protect the rest of the community,” explained research supervisor and Research Professor at the Life Sciences Center of Vilnius University, Dr Mindaugas Zaremba. “SPARDA proteins coordinate this process in a highly precise way.”


Beyond fundamental biology, the fi ndings have practical implications. In biotechnology, SPARDA could inspire highly precise nucleic acid detection tools. In medicine, the insights could inform phage therapy strategies, helping scientists anticipate bacterial resistance mechanisms.


The research was supported by the Research Council of Lithuania, Horizon Europe, CPVA, iNEXT, and the Vilnius University Research Promotion Fund.


More information online: ilmt.co/PL/N47D The SPARDA research team. Credit: Vilnius University


become the functional machinery that rapidly degrades viral and host DNA alike.


1. Activation of the SPARDA defense system by filament assembly using a beta-relay signaling mechanism widespread in prokaryotic Argonautes published in Cell Research


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