With support from The Herbert W. Hoover Foundation, researchers at Cornell University published new findings in Biomaterials Science showing that human intestinal mucus plays a critical role in blocking microplastics from entering gut tissue. The study revealed that an intact mucus barrier significantly reduces cellular uptake, inflammation, and oxidative stress caused by plastic particles ranging from 40 to 500 nm. Particle size, surface chemistry, and composition all influenced how easily plastics migrated through the barrier. These results deepen our understanding of how microplastics affect human health and highlight the importance of gut integrity in protecting against environmental pollutants. The full article is available here.