Beyond microplastics - investigation on health impacts of submicron and nanoplastic particles after oral uptake in vitro

Microplastics and Nanoplastics

Linda Böhmert¹  Holger Sieg¹  Albert Braeuning¹  Maxi B. Paul¹  Tim Herrmann¹  Andreas F. Thünemann²  Christoph Fahrenson³  Lucas Givelet⁴  Katrin Loeschner⁴ 

[1] Department of Food Safety, German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment;Division Synthesis and Scattering of Nanostructured Materials, Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM);Technical University of Berlin, Center for Electron Microscopy (ZELMI);Technical University of Denmark, Research Group for Analytical Food Chemistry;

关键词: Microplastic;    Nanoplastic;    Oral uptake;    Toxicity;    Gastrointestinal barrier;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s43591-022-00036-0

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

Abstract The continuously increasing use of plastics is supposed to result in a rising exposure of MNPs to humans. Available data on human health risks of microplastics after oral uptake increased immensely in the past years and indicates very likely only low risks after oral consumption. Concerning nanoplastics, uptake, transport and potential adverse effects after oral uptake are less well understood. This study aims to investigate differences between microplastic particles and particles in the submicron- and nanoscaled size derived from food-relevant polymers with a particle size range consistent with higher potential for cellular uptake, fate, and effects when applied to human intestinal and liver cells. This work includes the development of cellular and subcellular detection methods for synthetic polymeric particles in the micro- and nanometer-range, using Scanning Electron Microscopy, Small-Angle X-ray and Dynamic Light Scattering methods, Asymmetric Flow Field Flow Fractionation, octanol-water fractionation, fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry. Polylactic acid (250 nm and 2 μm (polydisperse)), melamine formaldehyde (366 nm) and polymethylmethacrylate (25 nm) were thoroughly characterized. The submicro- and nanoplastic test particles showed an increased uptake and transport quantity through intestinal cells. Both types of particles resulted in observed differences of uptake behavior, most likely influenced by different lipophilicity, which varied between the polymeric test materials. Toxic effects were detected after 24 h only in overload situations for the particles in the submicrometer range. This study provides further evidence for gastrointestinal uptake of submicro- and nanoplastics and points towards differences regarding bioavailability between microplastics and smaller plastic particles that may result following the ingestion of contaminated food and beverages. Furthermore, the results reinforce the importance for studying nanoplastics of different materials of varying size, surface properties, polymer composition and hydrophobicity.

【 授权许可】

Unknown