We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Female exposure to microplastics in the atmospheric environment: Endocrine disrupting toxicity and its risk regulation strategies
Summary
Researchers quantified the female endocrine-disrupting potential of six common types of atmospheric microplastics and their chemical additives. They found that polyamide and PET microplastics, along with bisphenol-based antioxidant additives, were the primary contributors to endocrine disruption risk. The study also identified a modified substitute compound with 37% lower risk and analyzed the molecular mechanisms by which microplastics interact with cell membranes to cause hormonal disruption.
Microplastics (MPs) are present in the atmosphere and may lead to female endocrine-disrupting toxicity (F-EDT) after entering human bodies through inhalation. However, research on the F-EDT of human exposure to MPs remains infancy. Therefore, the F-EDT of six common atmospheric MPs was quantified, and a priority control list for MPs and their additives was compiled using statistical and computational chemistry techniques. Results showed that PA-MPs/PET-MPs and bisphenol-based antioxidants contribute to F-EDT, with a risk probability difference of up to 59.81 % between the lowest and highest risk components. Thus, Bisphenol A and Bisphenol E were selected for molecular modification, and an environmentally friendly substitute (D35) was screened, with a reduced risk of 37.57 %. Finally, the F-EDT mitigation mechanisms of MPs were also analyzed, indicating the presence of oxygen-containing functional groups in MPs may be a primary reason for the variations in F-EDT. Hydrogen bonds and electrostatic interactions are the dominant modes of cell membrane adsorption for MPs or additives, with the competitive adsorption of lubricants on bisphenol-based antioxidants being one of the main reasons for mitigating F-EDT induced by MPs. This study aims to tackle the challenges of understanding the patterns and underlying mechanisms for the F-EDT of MPs and additives.
Sign in to start a discussion.
More Papers Like This
Microplastic pollution: A potent threat for metabolic disruption in mammals
This review examines the evidence linking microplastic exposure to metabolic disruption, covering mechanisms by which microplastics and their associated chemical additives may interfere with hormonal regulation, glucose metabolism, and lipid homeostasis. The authors identify microplastics as a potent emerging threat to metabolic health.
Microplastics as Emerging Contaminants: Investigating their Potential to Alter Human Metabolic and Endocrine Systems
This review investigated the potential of microplastics to alter human hormone signaling, synthesizing evidence that plastic particles and their chemical additives can act as endocrine disruptors at environmentally relevant concentrations. The paper highlighted reproductive and metabolic pathways as areas of particular concern.
A Comprehensive Review on Environmental Migration, Physicochemical Transformations, and Exposure-Related Health Risks of Microplastics
Researchers synthesized over 200 peer-reviewed studies to review the environmental migration pathways, physicochemical transformations, and human health risks of microplastics across aquatic, terrestrial, and atmospheric environments, finding heterogeneous global distributions of fragments and fibers predominantly composed of polyethylene and polypropylene, with bioaccumulation, endocrine disruption, and oxidative stress identified as key mechanisms of toxicity.
Sorption of alkylphenols and estrogens on microplastics in marine conditions
Researchers investigated the sorption of six endocrine-disrupting chemicals — including alkylphenols and estrogens — onto microplastics under marine conditions, supporting the hypothesis that microplastics act as a secondary contamination vector for aquatic organisms by concentrating pollutants.
Bisphenol A and its analogues in outdoor and indoor air: Properties, sources and global levels
This review covers the presence of bisphenol A (BPA), a hormone-disrupting chemical used in plastic manufacturing, in indoor and outdoor air worldwide. BPA exposure through air and dust is a concern because it can interfere with hormones even at low levels, potentially affecting fertility, development, and metabolism. The review is relevant to microplastics because BPA is a common plastic additive that can leach from microplastic particles, adding to human exposure through multiple routes.