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Fabrication and in vitro toxicity assessment of PET microplastic fibers with diameter and aspect ratio control
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Researchers created tiny plastic fibers (PET, a common plastic) with controlled sizes to test their effects on human cells grown in the lab, representing swallowing and breathing exposure. Compared to round plastic particles, these fibers caused more cell stress and greater changes in cell activity in both cell types tested.
Microplastics (MP) are widespread anthropogenic pollutants present in the air we breathe, the food we eat and the water we drink. Their presence has been reported in almost all ecosystems and several human organs and tissues. Despite their pervasiveness, our knowledge regarding their effects remains in its infancy. Current understanding is largely limited to the assessment of a few specific particle types, even though MP exist in a variety of shapes, sizes, and materials. Microplastic fibers (MPF) are among the most environmentally abundant MP but are rarely considered in toxicity studies due to a lack of standardized reference materials. In this study, we developed a method for the fabrication of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) MPF, one of the most abundant particle types in the environment. We achieved precise control over the diameter (30 – 75 µm) and length (54 – 734 µm) of the produced MPF, allowing us to accurately represent the wide range of dimensions found in the environment as contaminants. Fabricated PET MPF, spherical PET MP (cPET), and mill-ground fiber particles (gPET) were used to assess toxicity in human cell models simulating ingestion (Caco-2) and inhalation (A549) exposure. Compared to spherical MP - the standard shape used in MP toxicology research - MPF induced greater oxidative stress and more significant alterations in cellular metabolic activity. While further mechanistic studies utilizing advanced and comprehensive toxicological models are required to fully evaluate these fibrous particles, the production method described herein will expand current testing capabilities and provide deeper insights into widespread MP pollutants.
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Fabrication of microplastic and nanoplastic particles and fibres for use in pulmonary toxicity studies
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Researchers developed fabrication methods to produce micro- and nanoplastics from three environmentally relevant polymers (polyamide, polypropylene, and PET) in both particle and fiber shapes, addressing a critical gap in pulmonary toxicity research where most studies use only polystyrene spheres.
Size- and polymer-dependent toxicity of amorphous environmentally relevant micro- and nanoplastics in human bronchial epithelial cells
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This study examined how the size and type of plastic particles affect their toxicity to human lung cells. Researchers tested environmentally relevant micro- and nanoplastics with irregular shapes, rather than the uniform spheres typically used in lab studies, to better mimic real-world exposure. The findings contribute to a growing understanding that particle size and polymer composition both matter when assessing the potential health risks of inhaling airborne plastic particles.
Surface reactivity of plastic particles increases with size reduction during mechanical fragmentation: Implications for hazard potential
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Lab tests broke down two common plastics (HDPE and PET) into smaller micro and nano sized particles. Smaller nanoplastic particles showed rougher, more chemically altered surfaces and caused more oxidative stress and membrane damage in human intestinal cells and red blood cells than larger particles. A protein coating on the particles reduced this cellular oxidative effect.
Evaluation of potential toxicity of polyethylene microplastics on human derived cell lines
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Researchers tested the toxic effects of two sizes of polyethylene microplastics on human cell lines representing different tissue types. They found that microplastic exposure triggered inflammatory responses and caused cellular damage, with effects varying depending on particle size and cell type. The findings suggest that microplastics commonly encountered in everyday life could pose health risks when they interact with human tissues.
EngineeredPS and PAN Microplastic Fibers Elicit StrongerA549 Epithelial Responses than Spherical Polystyrene Particles
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Scientists tested how lung cells react to tiny plastic fibers (like those shed from synthetic clothing) versus round plastic beads, and found that the fiber-shaped microplastics caused significantly more cell damage, stress, and inflammation than the round particles did. This suggests that the shape of the plastic bits we breathe in matters a lot for health risk, not just how much plastic is present, so future research and safety guidelines should pay closer attention to fiber-shaped microplastics specifically.
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