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Impact of Degradation of Polyethylene Particles on Their Cytotoxicity
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Researchers found that degradation of polyethylene particles altered their cytotoxicity, with weathered and fragmented PE showing different toxic effects on cells compared to pristine particles, suggesting environmental aging changes microplastic health risks.
Microplastics are ubiquitous in the environment, including in the ocean, soil, and air. Therefore, there are concerns regarding human exposure. Since it is known that the surface of microplastics in various environments is chemically deteriorated by external factors such as ultraviolet rays and waves, it is essential to evaluate the biological effects of degraded microplastics. In this study, we experimented by accelerating the degradation of polyethylene (PE) using vacuum ultraviolet light and prepared PE samples with different degrees of degradation. Then, we evaluated the effects of undegraded and variously degraded PE on cells using cytotoxicity tests. Based on the cytotoxicity test results, we saw a tendency for increased cytotoxicity with increasing degradation. Therefore, this study substantially links the deterioration of microplastics with their biological effects.
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Elucidating the effects of naturally weathered aged-polypropylene microplastics and newly procured polypropylene microplastics on raw 264.7 macrophages
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Researchers compared the effects of naturally weathered polypropylene microplastics and newly manufactured ones on immune cells called macrophages. They found that both types caused cell toxicity and disrupted normal cellular function, but the weathered particles had distinct effects due to their altered surface chemistry. The study suggests that aging and environmental weathering change how microplastics interact with biological systems.
Polyethylene, whose surface has been modified by UV irradiation, induces cytotoxicity: A comparison with microplastics found in beaches
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Researchers showed that polyethylene microplastics degraded by UV light, mimicking what happens to plastics in the environment, were toxic to immune and skin cells in lab tests. Fresh, undegraded plastic particles did not cause the same harm, meaning weathered microplastics found in nature are likely more dangerous than the pristine plastics typically used in lab studies. This suggests that real-world human exposure to environmentally aged microplastics may carry greater health risks than current research indicates.
Mechanistic insights into non-negligible toxicity evolution of microplastics under different aging processes
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This review examines how different environmental aging processes, such as UV exposure, mechanical wear, and chemical weathering, change the physical and chemical properties of microplastics and alter their toxicity. Researchers found that aged microplastics and the chemicals they leach tend to be more harmful to organisms than fresh particles, causing growth inhibition and genetic damage. The findings suggest that the environmental risks of microplastics may increase significantly as they degrade over time.
Ageing Affects the Mechanical Interactionbetween Microplastics and Lipid Bilayers
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Researchers found that as polyethylene microplastics age and become more hydrophilic, they adhere more strongly to lipid bilayers and cause greater membrane stretching, suggesting that weathered microplastics in the environment may pose higher biological risks than fresh particles.
Mechanisms of Cell Toxicity Caused by Degraded Microplastics
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This review examined the molecular and cellular mechanisms by which degraded microplastics cause toxicity, focusing on how physical and chemical changes during environmental weathering alter plastic particle biological activity. The paper discussed oxidative stress, membrane disruption, and inflammatory pathways as key toxicity mechanisms of degraded microplastic fragments.
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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.