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Challenges of microplastics as emerging contaminants in forensic DNA profiling and proposed mitigation strategies
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Tiny plastic particles have already been found building up in human organs like the brain, kidneys, and thyroid—and this review paper explains a surprising side effect: these microplastics can sneak into lab equipment and samples during DNA testing, potentially damaging DNA or throwing off results used in criminal investigations. While this is mainly a concern for forensic labs right now, it's another reminder of just how deeply microplastics have infiltrated our bodies and even our scientific tools. The researchers suggest some fixes, like filtering out plastic particles and using special chemicals to clean samples before testing.
With an increase in the global usage of plastics, the whole world is facing a huge threat from the microplastics and its subsequent health hazards. Though persistent microplastics contamination in the biological samples have been established, none of the literature have highlighted the problem faced by the forensic DNA analysis process due to microplastics contamination. The microplastics contamination has the potential to affect the forensic DNA analysis process adversely. Accumulation of microplastics in various tissue types such as thyroid (40.4 MPs/g), kidney (21.5 MPs/g), and brain (24.4 MPs/g) have been reported due to environmental and occupational exposure. During downstream processing steps, the biological samples placed in plasticwares are exposed to thermal shock, and harsh chemicals which results in the leaching of microplastics and co-extracted with DNA. The microplastic mediated DNA fragmentation and adsorption of microplastic on DNA surface can be attributed to be the cause of their adverse effect on every step of forensic DNA analysis. Addition of washings from polystyrene micropipettes to a PCR mixture showed significant PCR inhibition. The RT-PCR based DNA quantification and capillary electrophoresis-based detection of DNA fragments rely on the detection of fluorescence level generated from the amplified products. The autofluorescence nature of microplastics have the potential to interfere the fluorescence-based estimation of DNA quantity as well as generation of a DNA profile. This article summarizes the potential source of microplastic contamination in the biological samples, their interaction mechanism with DNA and its effect on various steps of routine forensic DNA analysis. Physical separation of microplastics from the contaminated biological samples and treatment of biological samples with chelating agents have the potential to mitigate the microplastic contamination in forensic DNA workflow.
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Understanding the mechanistic interaction between DNA and polystyrene microplastic and the effect of microplastic on forensic DNA analysis
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Scientists found that tiny plastic particles called microplastics can stick to DNA and interfere with lab equipment used in forensic testing, causing DNA amounts to be undercounted and genetic profiles to come out distorted. This matters beyond crime labs too: if microplastics can bind DNA and disrupt lab testing this easily, it raises questions about how these particles, now found throughout our bodies and environment, might interact with our genetic material in other contexts.
Emerging Analytical Methodologies for Micro- and Nano-Plastics Detection in Human Samples: Analytical Challenges and Health Risk Perspectives
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Scientists have found tiny plastic particles (microplastics and even smaller nanoplastics) throughout human organs and body fluids, but this review of existing research shows we still lack reliable, standardized tools to accurately measure them—different labs get different results depending on how they prepare and test samples. While lab studies suggest very small plastic particles can cause cell stress and inflammation, there isn't yet solid evidence directly linking plastic exposure to specific diseases in people—so the biggest takeaway is that we urgently need better testing methods before we can truly understand the health risks these particles pose.
Microplastics in the environment: sources, impacts, and strategies for mitigation
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Tiny plastic bits called microplastics, created when everyday plastic items break down, have been found in surprising places, including our blood, fish, soil, and water, and scientists are still working to understand exactly how harmful they are. This review pulls together what researchers currently know about where these particles come from, how they spread, and what methods might remove them, while pointing out that we still lack solid answers on their long-term health effects and the best ways to clean them up. The takeaway: microplastic pollution is a growing concern worth watching, even though the science on its full impact to our bodies is still catching up.
Challenges and Advances in Analytical Techniques to Detect Micro- and Nanoplastics
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This research review summarizes the current methods scientists use to detect and study microplastics and nanoplastics - tiny plastic particles that can get into our environment, food, and bodies. The authors explain that identifying these extremely small plastic pieces is very challenging and requires advanced laboratory techniques to understand what types of plastics they are and how much is present. Better detection methods are important because we need to understand how much plastic pollution we're exposed to and its potential effects on human health.
Potential sources of microplastic contamination in laboratory analysis and a protocol for minimising contamination
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Scientists identified multiple sources of microplastic contamination that can be accidentally introduced during laboratory analysis of biological samples, including from lab water, chemicals, and air. By filtering reagents, pre-treating glass fiber filters, and using a clean working environment, they reduced lab-introduced contamination by 70–100%. These findings are important for accurate microplastic research: without such precautions, studies can significantly overestimate how much plastic is actually present in animal tissues or environmental samples.
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