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Evidence of microplastics release from polythene and paper cups exposed to hot and cold: A case study on the compromised kinetics of catalase
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Researchers found that both polythene bags and paper cups release microplastic particles when exposed to hot and cold water at various time intervals. The study demonstrated that these released microplastics can bind to and alter the structure of the antioxidant enzyme catalase, reducing its enzymatic activity by approximately 1.4-fold, suggesting that everyday plastic-containing materials may release particles that interfere with biological processes.
Microplastics (MPs) have become widespread in the modern world posing a hidden threat to the global environment. However, growing accumulation and devastating impact of MPs on human health and the environment have received least attention. In the current investigation, for the first time MPs have been identified which are released from the daily usable materials like polythene bags (PB) and paper cups (PC) in response to hot and cold water exposure at different time intervals. The impact of these MPs has been assessed on the major antioxidant enzyme, bovine liver catalase (BLC). The binding of MPs caused conformational changes in BLC by decreasing the α-helical content, which results in reduction of the enzymatic activity. Kinetics study revealed nearly ∼1.4-fold compromised catalytic efficiency of catalase in response to MPs. Nevertheless, hepatic catalase activity was also significantly decreased in presence of MPs. Further, materials like glass, porcelain, stainless steel, and high-grade plastics are discovered as greener alternatives to PB and PC.
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Researchers investigated the molecular mechanism of interaction between polystyrene nanoplastics and the antioxidant enzyme catalase using multispectroscopic techniques, revealing how nanoplastic accumulation may disrupt enzymatic function and contribute to oxidative stress.
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In lab tests outside living cells, researchers mixed polystyrene nanoplastics with cobalt and the enzyme catalase to see how they interact. The plastics changed how cobalt affected catalase's activity and structure, reducing cobalt's boosting effect at certain concentrations and altering the enzyme's shape and metal contact points.
Microplastics and other harmful substances released from disposable paper cups into hot water
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Researchers tested how hot water interacts with the plastic lining inside disposable paper cups and found that the cups released thousands of microplastic particles into the liquid within minutes of exposure. The polyethylene film coating degraded when exposed to hot water at typical beverage temperatures, releasing both microplastics and other potentially harmful chemical compounds. The study suggests that drinking hot beverages from disposable paper cups may be a significant source of human microplastic ingestion.
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