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Preliminary Study on PCC-Chitosan’s Ability to Enhance Microplastic Excretion in Human Stools from Healthy Volunteers
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Ten healthy volunteers ate a standardized meal twice, a week apart, the second time after taking chitosan made from crayfish shells. Microplastic counts in stool were about 47% higher after the chitosan meal, and nine of sixteen plastic types showed the increase. The study was small, short and preliminary.
Recent studies have indicated that microplastics (MPs) may accumulate in the human body, potentially posing health risks. This preliminary study aimed to investigate the effect of a food supplement (FS: 0.8 g of chitosan derived from Procambarus clarkii, PCC) on the fecal excretion of MPs (20-500 µm size) following ingestion of a standardized meal (SM). Ten healthy volunteers (non-smokers, non-drinkers, non-drug users) participated in a two-phase, crossover design conducted one week apart. In both phases, participants consumed an SM after overnight fasting, and fecal samples were collected the following morning (7-10 am). Phase 1 served as baseline (no PCC), while in Phase 2, PCC was administered immediately before the SM. Sixteen types of MPs were analyzed. A modest increase (5%) in fecal mass was observed after PCC intake. MP counts were 356 in the SM, 656 ± 110 in Phase 1 feces, and 965 ± 165 in Phase 2 feces. The excretion of nine MPs-PA, PAN, PAM, PE, PES, PET, PP, PS, and RA-was enhanced by PCC. These preliminary findings suggest that PCC promotes the fecal elimination of MPs. Further controlled studies are needed to validate these results and assess their potential relevance for dietary interventions.
More Papers Like This
Preliminary Study on PCC-Chitosan’s Ability to Enhance Microplastic Excretion in Human Stools from Healthy Volunteers
AI summary Read the abstract
In a crossover pilot study, 10 healthy volunteers ate a standardized meal with and without 0.8 g of a chitosan supplement. Stool samples held more microplastic particles after the chitosan meal (965 versus 656), and stool mass rose about 5%. The authors call the results preliminary and ask for controlled studies.
Ingesting chitosan can promote excretion of microplastics
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Rats were fed polyethylene microplastics mixed with one of several indigestible food materials. In the chitosan group, fecal weight rose and more of the microplastics were recovered in feces, with less retained in the intestine, compared with controls. The study was in rats and used 200 micrometer particles.
Reduction of Circulating Microplastics in Humans Following Gastrointestinal Sequestration by Chitosan: A Pilot Controlled Study
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Researchers conducted a pilot controlled trial in which oral supplementation with chitosan derived from crayfish reduced circulating blood microplastic concentrations in healthy adults by 26% over 15 days compared to placebo, with the largest reductions in intermediate-sized particles (11–50 µm) and an estimated mean residence time of 58 days for particles in circulation.
Reduction in Circulating Microplastics in Humans Following Gastrointestinal Sequestration by Chitosan: A Pilot Controlled Study
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In a pilot study, 11 healthy adults took 0.8 g of chitosan daily for 15 days and 10 matched controls took a placebo. Mean microplastic concentration in blood fell from 1.84 to 1.34 micrograms per milliliter in the chitosan group, a 26% drop, with no significant change in controls. The study was small and short.
Effect of different chitosan molecular weights on microplastic excretion
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Rats were fed a diet containing 50 micrometer microplastics along with chitosan of low, medium or high molecular weight. The medium and high weight groups had more microplastics in feces and less retained in the gastrointestinal tract than controls. Gut bacteria also shifted in the high weight group.
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