Polystyrene nanoparticles are widely used in packaging, but their effects on organisms are unclear. Very little was known about how they affect blood cell development until now.

“The whole classic ‘textbook’ view we thought we knew doesn't actually even exist,” John Dick, coauthor of the study and a geneticist at the University of Toronto, said in a statement. “Instead, ...

Europe produced 58.8 million tonnes of plastics in 2022. — © AFP JOSH EDELSON Europe produced 58.8 million tonnes of plastics in 2022. — © AFP JOSH EDELSON ...

Polystyrene nanoparticles disrupt red blood cell (RBC) maturation in zebrafish embryos. Nanoparticle exposure increases immature RBCs while reducing mature ones, interfering with heme synthesis.