Ocean-aged Nanoplastics Can Penetrate Human Skin, Texas A&M Study Warns

Ocean-aged nanoplastics can slip past the skin’s defenses

Microscopic plastic particles known as nanoplastics — far smaller than a grain of sand — can pick up proteins and organic material in seawater that help them penetrate human skin and resist cell-level clearance, researchers at Texas A&M University report.

In experiments described in the Journal of Hazardous Materials, the team exposed laboratory nanoplastic particles to seawater collected off the Corpus Christi coast. Proteins, algal compounds and other organic matter adhered to the particle surfaces, forming an environmental corona that effectively masked the plastics from surface defenses.

When tested in lab models, these ocean-aged, coated particles were less likely to be broken down by cellular cleanup pathways than fresh, uncoated plastics. As a result, the coated particles persisted in tissue models and could carry adsorbed toxins or pollutants deeper into cells — a mechanism the researchers liken to a Trojan horse.

Nanoplastics are considered hazardous materials for their capability to enter the tissues and cells of many organisms; environmental modifications, such as an environmental corona, on the surface of those particles may trigger more severe cellular responses.

What this means — and what’s still unknown

The study highlights skin as a possible exposure route in addition to ingestion and inhalation. Because nanoplastics are extremely small, they can cross protective barriers in laboratory models and may persist, potentially promoting inflammation or altering cellular function.

However, the authors and other experts emphasize that these results come from controlled laboratory experiments and models. The extent to which environmental nanoplastics penetrate intact human skin during routine activities, the dose required to cause harm, and long-term health consequences remain uncertain and require further study.

Practical steps and research priorities

Researchers are calling for improved experimental methods to track nanoplastics in real-world environments, better toxicological studies, and development of strategies to limit exposure. Meanwhile, individuals can reduce personal plastic contributions by choosing reusable water bottles and bags, minimizing single-use plastics, and supporting policies that reduce plastic production and improve waste management and recycling.

Bottom line: Ocean exposure can change nanoplastics in ways that help them evade biological defenses in lab tests. The findings raise plausible concerns and highlight a need for more research, but definitive human health effects have not yet been established.