{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,26]],"date-time":"2026-08-26T09:17:53Z","timestamp":1787735873794,"version":"build-2784847793"},"reference-count":39,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"9","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,26]],"date-time":"2026-08-26T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1787702400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Life"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: Human exposure to microplastics (MPs) is an emerging public health concern, yet their presence and pathological significance in gastric tissues remain poorly understood. This study investigated suspected MP-like particles in human gastric autopsy specimens, examining their association with histopathological changes and routine biochemical parameters. Methods: A retrospective post-mortem study was conducted on gastric tissue samples from 55 adults who underwent autopsies between 2022 and 2025. Tissue samples were digested using a hydrogen peroxide method, vacuum-filtered, stained with Nile Red, and quantified via ImageJ. Histopathological evaluation using hematoxylin\u2013eosin staining and polarized light microscopy identified tissue-embedded suspected MP-like particles and assessed inflammation, necrosis, and fibrosis. Data were analyzed based on suspected MP-like particle detection status. Results: Suspected gastric MP-like particles were detected in 15 of 55 cases (27.3%). Most positive cases exhibited a low particle burden (median 1\/g). Polarized light microscopy additionally served as a technical assessment tool, revealing birefringent structures measuring 26\u201384 \u03bcm within the gastric mucosa or lumen. All suspected MP-like particle-positive cases showed gastric inflammation compared to 35.0% of suspected MP-like particle-negative cases. Fibrosis and necrosis occurred exclusively in the suspected MP-like particle-positive group but lacked statistical significance. No significant associations were found between suspected MP-like particle detection and demographics, comorbidities, or systemic biochemical markers. Conclusions: Suspected gastric MP-like particles were identified in over a quarter of autopsy tissues and were strongly associated with localized gastric inflammation.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/life16091412","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,26]],"date-time":"2026-08-26T08:11:15Z","timestamp":1787731875000},"page":"1412","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Suspected Microplastic-like Particles in Human Gastric Autopsy Samples: An Exploratory Histopathological and Biochemical Study"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"16","author":[{"given":"Eugen-Toma","family":"Radu","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"County Emergency Clinical Hospital Sibiu, 550025 Sibiu, Romania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0005-5395-2333","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Nastaca Alina","family":"Palade","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"PreclinicalImage Department, Faculty of Medicine, Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, 550169 Sibiu, Romania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Crina Cristina","family":"Solomon","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"PreclinicalImage Department, Faculty of Medicine, Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, 550169 Sibiu, Romania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Oana Gabriela","family":"Somcutian","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Pathology, \u201cNiculae Stancioiu\u201d Heart Institute Cluj-Napoca, 400001 Cluj-Napoca, Romania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Manuela Pia","family":"Pumnea","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"PreclinicalImage Department, Faculty of Medicine, Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, 550169 Sibiu, Romania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Maria","family":"Totan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"PreclinicalImage Department, Faculty of Medicine, Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, 550169 Sibiu, Romania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7447-0940","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Claudia Maria","family":"Mihu\u021b","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Biology and Ecology Research Center, Faculty of Sciences, Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, 550012 Sibiu, Romania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-4804-1138","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Cecilia","family":"Georgescu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Agriculture Sciences, Food Industry and Environmental Protection, Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, 550012 Sibiu, Romania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Diter","family":"Atasie","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Medlife Polisano Hospital Sibiu, 550024 Sibiu, Romania"},{"name":"Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, 550024 Sibiu, Romania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9801-0060","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Anca Maria","family":"Arseniu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"PreclinicalImage Department, Faculty of Medicine, Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, 550169 Sibiu, Romania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-3167-9864","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Felicia Gabriela","family":"Gligor","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"PreclinicalImage Department, Faculty of Medicine, Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, 550169 Sibiu, Romania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,26]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"9525","DOI":"10.1021\/acs.macromol.7b02507","article-title":"Celebrating 50 Years of Macromolecules","volume":"50","author":"Lodge","year":"2017","journal-title":"Macromolecules"},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"703","DOI":"10.1002\/etc.4371","article-title":"Rethinking Microplastics as a Diverse Contaminant Suite","volume":"38","author":"Rochman","year":"2019","journal-title":"Environ. 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