The rise of microplastic (MP) pollution in the environment become to be a great concern worldwide. Current studies in the field are mainly focused on the understanding MP environmental fate, transport, and toxicity toward living forms. Because of a technical challenges, use of real environmental MPs—existing in a blend of large heterogenisity in polymers, morphologies, and sorbed environmental contaminants—is limited and most of the available data generated using plastic models. Unfortunately, most of the available models are limited in their environmental relevancy (i.e., physicochemical characteristics inherently different from those of environmental MPs) and therefore use in such model may draw a wrong conclusions.<br/>To overcome those limitations, we developed a top-down lab protocol to generate MPs with controlled surface properties and size ranges which allows a better representation of their environmental counterparts. Using this approach, we were able to create MPs with similar properties to these of MP weathered under environmental conditions for 10 months in only 16 hours. The engineered MPs interaction with human macrophage cell line (THP-1) was then tested in order to evaluate MP cytotoxicity and inflammatory response. Conversely to the expected trend, THP-1 cells were triggered by MP and their viability was higher compared to the control experiment without plastic particles. This phenomenon was attributed to the presence of bacterial endotoxin lipopolysaccharides on MP surface (which is also naturally occurs in the aquatic environment) that trigger the activity of the immune system cells. In long term exposure, this chronical inflammatory effect can be translated to cancer and pose a direct threat for human health. Overall, this study contributes to the understanding of the MP hazardous effects at high environmental relevance.

Evaluation of microplastic cytotoxicity using plastic particles of high environmental relevancy

Where thousands of chemistry professionals meet to share ideas and advance scientific and technical knowledge. Spring 2023 abstracts, posters, and presentations will launch at the end of March.

ACS Spring 2023

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.