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Bioaccessibility of Trace Metals and Rare Earth Elements (REE) in Microplastic
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Researchers measured the bioaccessibility of trace metals and rare earth elements adsorbed onto beach microplastics using simulated digestive fluid conditions. Metals were released from microplastic surfaces under stomach acid conditions, indicating that plastic ingestion can deliver these contaminants to digestive systems of marine organisms and humans.
The ubiquity of microplastics on beaches worldwide is well-known and represents a global concern, as the durability of these materials is associated with potential risks to aquatic organisms and human health. When ingested by marine organisms, contaminants adsorbed onto microplastics can become bioavailable. However, there is a lack of data on the potential exposure of animals and humans to these contaminants through ingestion. Therefore, it is essential to understand how these contaminants behave in the digestive system. To address this, samples of virgin microplastic pellets—both ungrounded (UG) and grounded (G)—were separated into fractions >1 mm and
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Using a dynamic in vitro simulator of the human gastrointestinal tract, researchers showed that chromium and lead adsorbed to polyethylene and polypropylene microplastics are released and become bioaccessible in gut conditions, suggesting microplastics can act as vectors delivering heavy metals to human tissues.
Exposure to microplastic associated chemicals upon oral consumption of microplastics
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This thesis quantified the release of plastic-associated chemical contaminants from microplastics during simulated human digestion, measuring how much of these chemicals actually leach out under stomach and intestinal conditions. The research helps estimate the chemical exposure humans receive when they ingest microplastics through food and water.
Metal-binding processes on nanoplastics: rare earth elements as probes
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Researchers used rare earth elements as probes to investigate metal-binding processes on nanoplastics in ocean and soil environments, revealing how nanoplastics can scavenge and concentrate trace metals in environmental systems.
Assessment of the potential human health risk derived from metals associated to microplastics from recycled and biopolymer-based plastics
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Researchers assessed the human health risk from metals associated with microplastics derived from recycled PET and polylactic acid (PLA) biopolymers using oral bioaccessibility testing, finding that intrinsic metal content increased with recycling cycles and that both materials adsorbed metals from the environment, with bioaccessible metal fractions posing potential health risks.
Toxic metal-adsorbed microplastics threaten human digestive system: A bioaccessibility-based risk assessment
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Researchers assessed the health risks of toxic metals adsorbed onto microplastics when ingested through seafood, sea salt, and drinking water. They found that environmental aging increased the metal-adsorption capacity of microplastics by roughly ninefold, with the greatest risk observed in children aged 0-3 years during stomach digestion. The study suggests that fish, bivalves, and crustaceans are the dietary sources contributing most to non-carcinogenic risk from metal-contaminated microplastics.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.