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Oligomer nanoparticle release from a biodegradable plastic triggers acute gut inflammation
Summary
Researchers studying biodegradable polylactic acid microplastics found that gut lipases hydrolyze them into oligomers that self-assemble into nanoplastic particles, which then bioaccumulate in multiple mouse organs and trigger acute intestinal inflammation, raising concerns about the safety of biodegradable plastics.
Biodegradable polylactic acid (PLA) microplastics are shown to undergo enzymatic hydrolysis by lipases found in the human gut to generate PLA oligomers, which self-aggregate to form nanoplastic particles. The oligomers and their nanoparticles bioaccumulated in multiple organs of a mouse model and caused acute intestinal inflammation.