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Data on the cytotoxicity of surfactants used to increase the dispersion of micro- and nanoplastics
Summary
Researchers measured the toxicity of five surfactants — chemicals often added to microplastic and nanoplastic suspensions in lab experiments to keep particles evenly distributed — using two human cell lines. This data is critical because surfactant toxicity can produce false positives in plastic toxicity studies, and the researchers urge scientists to always include proper surfactant controls when testing plastic particle effects.
Gathering reliable micro- and nanoplastic toxicity data is challenging but of utmost importance for risk assessment. The heterogeneity of plastics is one of these challenges. The production of micro- and nanoplastics, with small sizes, different polymer types or surface charges, often requires the use of surfactants to reduce the surface tension and increase the solubility of plastics. The toxicity of these surfactants may result in potential false positives, hampering conclusions on the toxicity of micro-and nanoplastics itself. This dataset therefore describes the cytotoxic effects of five surfactants, including four synthetic and one bio-surfactant, using two human cell lines (mimicking ingestion and inhalation exposure pathways). The data aids in the selection of proper surfactants and urges the need for adequate solvent controls which could account for potential unknown effects of unreported surfactants in commercially available plastics.