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Dermal uptake of hexabromocyclododecane (HBCDD) from skin contact with polystyrene microplastic particles
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Scientists tested whether a toxic flame retardant called HBCDD (found in polystyrene foam products like insulation and food containers) can pass into skin when you touch tiny plastic particles containing it. Using lab-grown human skin, they found small amounts of the chemical did get absorbed into skin tissue, though very little made it all the way into the bloodstream within a day—and sweaty skin absorbed more than dry skin. While the risk from a single exposure seems low, the findings suggest that repeated contact with these microplastics over time, or exposure to more heavily contaminated particles, could add up to a real health concern worth wat
Despite the listing of HBCDD in Annex A of the Stockholm Convention, the environmental contamination and human health impact of HBCDD is predicted to last for decades due to HBCDD remaining in global in-use products, the waste stream and various consumer products due to uncontrolled recycling e.g., expanded and extruded polystyrene building insulation materials, toys, utensils. Recent studies from different countries have confirmed the presence of polystyrene (PS) microplastics (MPs) in air and dust from various indoor microenvironments. However, the risk arising from dermal exposure to hexabromocyclododecane (HBCDD), which was widely used as additive flame retardant in expanded and extruded PS remains unknown. To address this gap, we experimentally determined the dermal bioavailability of HBCDDs upon skin contact with PS-MPs using a 3-dimensional human skin equivalent model. All three isomers measured, i.e., α-, β- and γ-HBCDD were dermally bioavailable. Whilst the fraction of HBCDDs that accumulated within the skin tissue after 24 h exposure ranged between 5 to ∼ 8% of the dose of HBCDD in the exposed PS-MP, complete skin penetration to the bloodstream within 24 h was low for all isomers, evidenced by the dermal flux, J s s and the apparent permeability coefficient, P a p p . Observed differences among HBCDD isomers were driven mostly by their physicochemical properties e.g., Log K OW and water solubility. Moreover, dermal uptake of HBCDD was greater under a sweaty skin condition. Overall, internal exposure to HBCDDs arising from skin contact with PS-MP was evident, albeit low. However, the possibility of increased risk due to prolonged exposure or higher concentrations of HBCDDs in PS-MPs is plausible and cannot be ignored.
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Using 3D lab-grown human skin models, researchers found that flame retardant chemicals (PBDEs) embedded in polyethylene and polypropylene microplastics can be absorbed through the skin. Up to 8% of the flame retardant dose was bioavailable through dermal contact, with factors like sweat, particle size, and plastic type influencing absorption rates. This is the first study to demonstrate that chemical additives in microplastics can enter the body through skin exposure, adding to the known ingestion and inhalation routes.
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This study tested how flame retardant chemicals embedded in microplastics can be absorbed through human skin using a lab-based simulation. The researchers found that these toxic additives can leach out of microplastic particles and pass through the skin barrier, with absorption rates varying by plastic type. This reveals a previously underappreciated route of human exposure to harmful chemicals carried by microplastics, especially through skin contact with contaminated dust or surfaces.
Can Microplastics Be Absorbed Through Our Skin? New Research Gives a Clue
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New research shows that chemicals from microplastics (tiny plastic bits found in everyday items) can seep out through sweat and pass into human skin. This means simply touching or wearing certain plastic-containing products might let these chemicals into your body, not just eating or breathing them in, as scientists previously thought. While more research is needed to know the full health impact, this finding suggests skin contact is another route we should pay attention to when it comes to limiting our exposure to plastic-related chemicals.
The release and earthworm bioaccumulation of endogenous hexabromocyclododecanes (HBCDDs) from expanded polystyrene foam microparticles
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Polystyrene foam (EPS) microparticles were shown to release hexabromocyclododecane (HBCDD) flame retardants into soil, and earthworms exposed to this contaminated soil bioaccumulated HBCDD at concerning levels. The study demonstrates that EPS microplastics in soil serve as a source of toxic flame retardant chemicals that enter terrestrial food chains through earthworm ingestion.
Enhanced heavy metal adsorption on microplastics by incorporating flame retardant hexabromocyclododecanes: Mechanisms and potential migration risks.
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This study examined how the flame retardant hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) incorporated into polystyrene microplastics affects their adsorption of copper, nickel, and zinc ions. HBCD-containing microplastics adsorbed 3-6 times more heavy metals than plain microplastics, with the bromine-based additive providing additional binding sites, raising concerns about enhanced metal mobilization from brominated plastic debris.
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