We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Transboundary ecological risks and toxicological mechanisms of a fluorinated liquid crystal monomer and aged microplastics
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers investigated how a fluorinated liquid crystal monomer adsorbs onto and desorbs from aged microplastics under environmental and simulated gastrointestinal conditions, finding that intestinal components remobilize up to 52.8% of the adsorbed contaminant and that the released compound causes mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress-driven apoptosis in gut cells.
Fluorinated liquid crystal monomers (FLCMs) have recently emerged as persistent organic pollutants, while microplastics serve as important environmental carriers of persistent organic pollutants. However, their interactions with aged microplastics and the consequent ecological risks remain a critical blind spot. This study examined the adsorption-desorption dynamics of a representative FLCM (4-ethoxy-2,3-difluoro-4'-(trans-4-propylcyclohexyl) biphenyl, EDPB) on aged polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, and polyvinyl chloride under both abiotic (i.e., environmental) and biotic (i.e., simulated gastrointestinal) conditions. Surface oxidation and increased roughness of aged polymers markedly enhanced EDPB adsorption, through combined hydrophobic attraction and fluorine‑mediated dipole interactions. Desorption was strongly medium dependent. In simulated gastric fluid, pepsin facilitated partial release (12.6-24.8%) by disrupting π-π interactions and promoting surface hydration. In contrast, intestinal components induced substantial remobilization (up to 52.8%) via the formation of hydrophobic cavities and micelle-like structures, increasing dissolved EDPB concentrations by approximately 20 μg L. This biphasic desorption profile highlights the critical role of intestinal processes in remobilizing adsorbed FLCMs and elevating their bioaccessible fractions. Subsequent cytotoxicity assays in Caco‑2 cells showed dose‑ and time‑dependent inhibition of cell viability, with transcriptomic analysis delineating a mitochondrial dysfunction-driven cascade. EDPB acts as a metabolic disruptor that impairs mitochondrial energetics and redox homeostasis, triggering downstream genomic instability and cell cycle arrest, which ultimately implicating oxidative stress-mediated apoptosis. This work synthesizes critical insight into the coupled environmental and biological behaviors of FLCMs, revealing their potential as transboundary persistent toxic substances and advancing the understanding of their risks in microplastic‑dominated systems.
More Papers Like This
The Adsorption and Desorption Behavior of Bisphenol A on Five Microplastics Under Simulated Gastrointestinal Conditions
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers found that microplastics can absorb the hormone-disrupting chemical bisphenol A (BPA) and then release it in simulated digestive fluids, suggesting that swallowing microplastics may deliver a dose of BPA into the human gut along with the plastic itself.
Effects of aging and temperature on the desorption of polychlorinated biphenyls from microplastics in simulated digestive fluids
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers aged polyethylene microplastics under UV radiation in different water environments and measured how well polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) desorbed in simulated digestive fluids, finding that aged microplastics released up to 40% of their PCB load in gut fluid, with aging, temperature, and chemical hydrophobicity all influencing release rates.
Micro- and nanoplastic-mediated phototransformation and bioaccessibility of fluorinated liquid crystal monomer in aquatic environments
AI summary Read the abstract
Micro- and nanoplastics in aquatic environments alter both how fluorinated liquid crystal monomers (industrial chemicals used in electronics) are broken down by sunlight and how available those breakdown products are to living organisms. This matters because plastic pollution does not just carry contaminants passively — it actively changes the fate and toxicity of co-occurring chemicals in water, potentially increasing exposure risks for aquatic life and humans who depend on those water sources.
Polymer- and size-dependent toxicological behavior of environmentally relevant secondary microplastics: a comprehensive review
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers reviewed in-vivo toxicology studies on five common polymer types and found that smaller microplastic particles more readily cross biological barriers and trigger immune responses, with polyethylene, polystyrene, and PET showing the highest translocation potential compared to PTFE and polypropylene.
Consequential fate of bisphenol-attached PVC microplastics in water and simulated intestinal fluids
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers tested how bisphenol-attached PVC microplastics release bisphenols in aquatic and simulated intestinal fluid environments, finding that desorption was faster under gut-like conditions and that released bisphenols were cytotoxic to human intestinal cell lines.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.