Scientists discover how water erosion contributes to generation of micro and nanoplastics that have been linked to cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases

6 January 2026

A team of scientists led by researchers in AMBER, Trinity College Dublin has determined that microbubble-induced erosion releases micro and nanoplastics (MNPs) into water. Until now there had been limited understanding of how aquatic factors contributed to the generation of MNPs, which are increasingly linked to cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases.

MNPs are globally emerging pollutants that are frequently invisible to the naked eye. The pervasive contamination of MNPs in aquatic environments has enabled their penetration into global food chains, with individuals now estimated to ingest up to 90,000 MNPs annually from bottled water alone. Accumulation of MNPs in carotid plaque is associated with increased risk of death or major cardiovascular events while there are correlations between accumulation in brain tissue and neurodegenerative diseases.

Understanding the mechanisms of MNP generation and release is critical to developing effective mitigation strategies. To date, most studies have focused on MNP release from bulk plastics in water environments due to factors such as mechanical wear and UV exposure. Despite the intimate contact between plastics and water in these environments, there is no fundamental understanding of how aquatic factors such as air bubbles, pH and salt levels influence the generation of MNPs.

Speaking about the results Lead Researcher, Professor in the School of Chemistry at Trinity College Dublin, John Boland said: Plastic degradation is an invisible threat to the environment and human health.  Removing plastic waste from the environment is an important first step, but it is not enough.  Our research shows that whenever plastic comes into contact with water, air bubbles that form on plastic surfaces cause erosion and the release of invisible MNPs.  This is unavoidable.  Air dissolved in water is naturally attracted to plastics, regardless of whether the plastic is along a shoreline or the inner surface of a bottle or container.  Society urgently needs to come to grips with the enormity of the challenge posed by our ubiquitous use of plastics.

The study led by AMBER Researcher Professor John Boland and colleagues from Trinity College Dublin, Sun Yat-Sen University, Hohai University, Zhejiang A&F University and California Institute of Technology was recently published in Science Advances. This study is particularly timely given the implementation last month (December 2025) of new EU rules that will tackle MNP pollution generated from plastic pellets, the raw material for most plastic products. The EU’s implementation of legislation to progress Europe’s transition to a sustainable economy will benefit from this and further studies which determine exactly how these MNPs are being generated allowing for evidence based policy.

The study is available here:  https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.aea4729