We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
A Noninvasive Quantitative Method for Evaluating Intestinal Exposure to Microplastics Based on the Excretion and Metabolism Patterns of Microplastics and Their Additives
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers developed a noninvasive method to measure human intestinal microplastic exposure by tracking plastic additive chemicals (phthalates) in urine, which correlated strongly with actual microplastic intake in mouse experiments. They then applied this method to 133 people across 30 countries on 6 continents to estimate real-world gut exposure levels. This tool could help scientists finally quantify how many microplastics people are actually consuming and assess the associated health risks.
Microplastics (MPs) pose potential health risks to the intestinal tract and gut microbiota, a topic that has garnered significant attention. However, the absence of quantitative assessment methods for human gut MP exposure impedes related health risk assessments. Here, we performed long-term continuous exposure experiments on mice using MPs that mimic actual human exposure characteristics. The daily excretion of fecal MPs and the concentrations of phthalates (PAEs) and their metabolites (mPAEs) in serum and urine were detected. The cumulative excretion rate of fecal MPs remains stable at about 93%. A significant linear correlation was observed between MP exposure and concentration of mPAEs in urine for both low MP (LMP; 150 μg of MPs/d) (R2 = 0.90) and high MP (HMP; 360 μg of MPs/d) groups (R2 = 0.97). Moreover, a strong correlation was found between daily PAEs exposure and total MP-associated PAEs exposure in both LMP (R2 = 0.77) and HMP (R2 = 0.88) groups. Based on these findings, we established a noninvasive model and evaluated multiple MP exposure parameters in the human gut across 6 continents, 30 countries, and 133 individuals. This study offers novel insights for the quantitative assessment of in vivo MP exposure and provides technical support for assessing the health risks of MPs.
More Papers Like This
Analytical methodology for unveiling human exposure to (micro)plastic additives
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers reviewed laboratory and population-level methods for measuring human exposure to chemicals that leach from plastics — such as bisphenols and flame retardants — detailing how these toxic additives can be tracked through urine and blood tests after entering the body.
First study on the toxicokinetic approach of MNPs in an environmentally exposed human population, through their evaluation in blood and urine samples by Pyr-GC-MS and multivariate analysis.
AI summary Read the abstract
Scientists tested 98 people's blood and urine and found tiny plastic particles (microplastics and nanoplastics) in nearly everyone—showing up in 98% of urine samples and 89% of blood samples. This confirms that plastic exposure is essentially universal in daily life, and the study suggests urine could become a simple, non-invasive way for doctors and researchers to track how much plastic we're absorbing from our environment.
Exploring the determinants of micro- and nanoplastics exposure among adults in Barcelona, Spain
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers quantified micro- and nanoplastic concentrations in stool, urine, tap water, and food samples from 50 healthy adults in Barcelona, Spain. They estimated a daily intake of 1.53 micrograms per kilogram of body weight, mainly from food, with polyamide, polyethylene, and polypropylene as the most frequently detected polymers. The study found that short-term diet better reflects microplastic exposure than long-term dietary habits, and that plastic additives in the body did not correlate with microplastic levels, ruling them out as proxy measurements.
Development of an Air-assisted Dispersive Liquid-Liquid Microextraction Method as a Valuable Biomonitoring Tool for Exposure Assessment of Phthalates
AI summary Read the abstract
This study developed a fast, sensitive urine test to detect 15 different phthalate metabolites simultaneously, making it easier to measure human exposure to these plastic-associated chemicals. Testing urine from 50 Brazilian children confirmed widespread exposure to phthalates, particularly from personal care products and diet. Phthalates are endocrine-disrupting additives leached from plastic products, so improved biomonitoring tools like this are essential for understanding the health risks of everyday plastic exposure.
Quantitative tracking of the transformation of micro- and nanoplastics in simulated human body fluid
AI summary Read the abstract
Scientists developed a new method to track how micro- and nanoplastics transform as they pass through simulated human digestive fluids. Using advanced chemical analysis, they found that only a small fraction of microplastics (less than 2.1 percent) released secondary nanoparticles during digestion, suggesting this particular route of nanoparticle exposure may pose a relatively low health risk. The method provides a reliable tool for future studies assessing how plastics break down inside the body.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.