We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Interaction Between Endocrine Disruptors and Polyethylene Nanoplastic by Molecular Dynamics Simulations
AI summary Read the abstract
Using computer simulations, researchers found that polyethylene nanoplastics can attract and carry endocrine-disrupting chemicals like bisphenol A (BPA) and benzophenone (BZP), with BZP binding nearly three times more strongly to the plastic surface. Even at low concentrations, these chemicals can interfere with hormones and have been linked to various diseases. The findings suggest that nanoplastics in the environment could act as tiny vehicles, delivering harmful chemicals into the body.
Nanoplastics (NPs) can come into contact with humans through different means such as ingesting contaminated food or exposure to contaminated air. Recent research indicates that these NPs can act as vectors for other contaminants. Further research is still needed to determine the effects of these interactions and whether they are significant under environmental conditions. Bisphenol A (BPA) and benzophenone (BZP) are possible contaminants that could be cotransported with NPs. Even in low concentrations, BPA and BZP can act as endocrine disruptors and have been linked to several diseases. In this study, we used molecular dynamics simulations to obtain the potential of mean force (PMF) profile between a polyethylene NP and a BPA/BZP molecule. The PMF shows a minimum of -8.0 kJ mol-1 for the BPA, whereas it is -23.5 kJ mol-1 for the BZP, meaning BZP has a much greater attractive potential to polyethylene than BPA. We can infer that the higher quantity of BPA's hydrogen bonds with the water contributes to the difference between BZP and BPA. The results indicate the need to address the possibility of NPs playing a role in the cotransport and bioaccumulation of contaminants in aquatic ecosystems.
More Papers Like This
Implications of plastic-derived endocrine disruptors on human health
AI summary Read the abstract
This review summarizes how chemicals released from plastics, known as endocrine disruptors, can interfere with the body's hormone systems. Common substances like BPA and phthalates mimic or block hormones, contributing to obesity, diabetes, reproductive problems, and developmental issues in children. Micro- and nanoplastics make the problem worse because they can release these hormone-disrupting chemicals inside the body after being ingested or inhaled.
A review of the endocrine disrupting effects of micro and nano plastic and their associated chemicals in mammals
AI summary Read the abstract
This review summarizes how micro- and nanoplastics carry hormone-disrupting chemicals that can interfere with the thyroid, reproductive organs, and other parts of the endocrine system in mammals. Because these chemicals are not tightly bound to the plastic, they can leach into milk, water, and food, potentially disrupting hormone function in humans who consume them.
Probing Interactions of Plastic Nanoparticles with Biomolecular Systems via Molecular Simulations
AI summary Read the abstract
Tiny plastic particles from breaking-down trash (called nanoplastics) may be small enough to interact with the proteins, DNA, and cell membranes in our bodies, potentially disrupting how they normally work. This paper reviews computer simulation studies—since lab tests can't fully capture these interactions—that use physics-based models to predict how nanoplastics stick to and affect biological molecules at the atomic level. While this research is still in early, theoretical stages, it's helping scientists understand possible health risks from plastic pollution and explore ways to reduce its impact.
Polyethylene and polyvinyl chloride microplastics as environmental carriers of 2,4-D, thiamethoxam, and clothianidin: a DFT, QTAIM, and NCI study of interaction mechanisms and binding energetics
AI summary Read the abstract
Scientists used computer simulations to study how common plastic pollution (from bags and pipes) sticks to widely used pesticides and weed killers, to understand whether microplastics could act as tiny "rafts" that carry these chemicals through the environment. The study found the plastics and pesticides do bind together weakly, mainly through gentle chemical attractions, but this pairing doesn't happen easily on its own under normal conditions. This matters because if microplastics can pick up and transport pesticides, they could potentially carry these chemicals into water, soil, food, and eventually our bodies, though this early-stage computer modeling is just a
Nanoplastic adsorption characteristics of bisphenol A: The roles of pH, metal ions, and suspended sediments
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers found that nanoplastics adsorb bisphenol A through electrostatic, pi-pi stacking, and hydrophobic interactions, with adsorption capacity influenced by pH, competing metal ions, and suspended sediments, highlighting nanoplastics as vectors for BPA transport in aquatic environments.
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.