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Simulated digestion of polystyrene foam enhances desorption of diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) and In vitro estrogenic activity in a size-dependent manner
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When polystyrene foam was subjected to simulated gut digestion, more phthalate (DEHP)—a hormone-disrupting chemical—was released from smaller particles than larger ones. This shows that the way microplastics break down in the human digestive system can increase the release of toxic plastic additives.
Marine polychaetes and fish are known to ingest polystyrene microparticles in the environment. Laboratory microplastic feeding experiments have demonstrated that plastic may release endocrine-disrupting compounds such as diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP), which can cause adverse effects in both vertebrates and invertebrates. In order to determine the influence of size and digestive conditions on the desorption of DEHP and other plasticizers to polychaetes and fish, we exposed polystyrene particles of various sizes under invertebrate and vertebrate digestive conditions (vertebrate mimic; pepsin, pH = 2.0, 24 °C, invertebrate mimic; Na taurocholate pH = 7, 18 °C). Estrogen receptor activation and concentrations of 12 plasticizers were measured in the extracts. DEHP, bisphenol S and 4-tert-octylphenol were the only compounds detected. Simulated vertebrate gut digestion did not significantly enhance the release of chemicals nor estrogenic activity. However, a 6.3 ± 2.0-fold increase in the concentration of DEHP was observed in extracts from invertebrate gut conditions (Mean ± SD; N = 24, p < 0.0001). Additionally, estimated particle surface area was positively correlated with estrogenic activity across all treatment types (r = 0.85, p < 0.0001). Overall, these data indicate an elevated bioaccessibility of DEHP may occur in invertebrates, and size-dependent desorption of uncharacterized estrogenic compounds from plastic suggest additional complexity when considering the risks of MP to aquatic organisms.
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Microplastics in simulated digestion: Surface modifications, enzyme interference, and chemical migration
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Researchers simulated gastrointestinal digestion of four common plastic polymers alongside food components, finding that microplastics — especially smaller polystyrene particles — inhibit digestive enzymes in a size- and concentration-dependent manner and release phthalate plasticizers, with protein-rich conditions driving pronounced surface charge shifts indicating strong protein adsorption.
Following the fate of polystyrene micro and nanobeads during in vitro digestion
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Researchers tracked what happens to nano and micro polystyrene particles when they pass through simulated human digestion, finding that while the particles themselves showed no direct toxicity to intestinal cells, a range of chemical additives and breakdown products (including styrene monomers and plasticisers like phthalates) were released and transferred across the intestinal cell layer. This means the hazard from ingesting plastics may come not just from the particles but from the cocktail of chemical substances they release during digestion. The findings are directly relevant to human health risk assessment for dietary microplastic exposure.
Distribution of Micro-Nano PS, DEHP, and/or MEHP in Mice and Nerve Cell Models In Vitro after Exposure to Micro-Nano PS and DEHP
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Researchers studied how different sizes of polystyrene microplastics distribute throughout the body when combined with the common plasticizer DEHP in mice and nerve cell models. They found that smaller particles accumulated more readily in tissues, and that microplastics carried DEHP into organs, with the highest concentrations of its breakdown product found in the brain. The study suggests that microplastics may increase the delivery of harmful plastic additives to sensitive organs like the brain.
Effect of particle size and environmental conditions on the release of di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate from microplastics
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Researchers studied how the plasticizer DEHP leaches out of microplastics under different environmental conditions, finding that smaller particles release more of the chemical due to their greater surface area. Higher temperatures, lower pH, and higher salt concentrations all increased the rate of DEHP release. The study suggests that environmental conditions can significantly influence how much potentially harmful chemical is released from microplastic debris in soil and water.
Unraveling the impact of polystyrene microplastics with varying particle sizes and concentrations on lipid in vitro digestion and ex vivo absorption
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Researchers investigated how polystyrene microplastics of different sizes and concentrations affect fat digestion and absorption using laboratory and tissue-based models. They found that microplastics interfered with the digestive process by interacting with digestive enzymes and bile salts, and that smaller particles at higher concentrations had the greatest inhibitory effect on fat absorption. The findings suggest that microplastics consumed with food could alter how the body processes dietary fats.
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