We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Influence of the polymer type on the impact of microplastic particles
Summary
Researchers compared cellular toxicity of microparticles made from polystyrene, polyethylene, PVC, PLA, and cellulose acetate in murine macrophages and epithelial cells, finding that polymer type influences cytotoxicity and uptake behavior. All particle types were ingested by macrophages, but their surface chemistry and charge affected the degree of cellular damage.
Microplastic particles are one of the major concerns of the modern world today. They can be found almost anywhere in the world, and the risks associated with them are still poorly understood. Especially, research on the impact of microplastic particles on vertebrate cells most often focuses on polystyrene (PS), as particles made thereof are readily and commercially available. However, PS is not the most commonly used type of polymer when it comes to plastic pollution and microplastic particles occurring in the environment. Previous studies investigating different polymer types, like polyethylene (PE), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polypropylene (PP), or poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET), are difficult to compare with existing PS studies, as the used particles varied significantly in size and surface characteristics. Therefore, there is a need for more research concerning the influence of the polymer type on the environmental and cellular impact of microplastic particles. In the poster presented, cellular responses to commercially available microparticles made of PS, PE, PVC, and PLA are assessed. Further, in-house generated cellulose acetate (CA) microparticles are investigated as a bio-based control system. The cellular impact of the microparticles is evaluated using murine macrophages and epithelial cells concerning cellular uptake and cytotoxicity. The macrophages are able to ingest all investigated particles, even though they differ in properties like ζ-potential and surface morphology. The epithelial cells on the other hand only ingest particles made of PS. These PS particles feature a strong negative ζ-Potential. No significant short-term cytotoxicity is observed in this study, however, further research is needed on microplastic particles of environmental concern to be able to fully assess the potential risks. Also see: https://micro2024.sciencesconf.org/555347/document
Sign in to start a discussion.
More Papers Like This
Influence of the polymer type on the impact of microplastic particles
Researchers compared the cellular effects of polystyrene, polyethylene, PVC, and PLA microparticles on murine macrophages and epithelial cells, assessing uptake and cytotoxicity. All polymer types were ingested by macrophages, but the degree of cytotoxicity varied by polymer composition.
Influence of the polymer type of a microplastic challenge on the reaction of murine cells
Researchers compared how mouse cells respond to microplastic particles made from different polymer types, including polystyrene, polyethylene, PVC, and plant-based alternatives. They found that immune cells could take up all particle types, while other cell types were selective based on the particles' surface charge. Importantly, none of the tested microplastic types showed significant short-term toxic effects on the cells, though longer-term impacts remain unclear.
Unravelling the knot: Microplastic properties and their correlation with the cellular response
Researchers correlated the physico-chemical properties of microplastic particles -- including surface chemistry, size, and surface charge density -- with cellular uptake and biological responses in model cell lines, finding that macrophages engulfed significantly more particles than epithelial cells, and that uptake and downstream inflammatory effects were size- and surface charge-dependent.
Uptake and cellular effects of PE, PP, PET and PVC microplastic particles
Researchers tested intestinal uptake and cytotoxicity of PE, PP, PET, and PVC microplastic particles using human cell lines and found that 1–4 µm polyethylene particles crossed the intestinal epithelium at significantly higher rates than polystyrene, though cytotoxic effects only appeared at concentrations far above realistic dietary exposure.
The Immunotoxic Effects of Environmentally Relevant Micro- and Nanoplastics
Researchers characterized the immunotoxic effects of over 20 types of micro- and nanoplastic particles on macrophages and dendritic cells, finding that physicochemical properties such as size, shape, polymer type, and surface oxidation strongly influence immune cell responses.