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Song X, Chen T, Chen Z, Du L, Qiu X, Zhang Y, Li Y, Zhu Y, Tan Z, Mo Y, Feng X. Micro(nano)plastics in human urine: A surprising contrast between Chongqing's urban and rural regions. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 917:170455. [PMID: 38286288 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.170455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2023] [Revised: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 01/31/2024]
Abstract
Microplastics (100 nm-5 mm) and nanoplastics (<100 nm) collectively referred to as micro(nano)plastics (MNPs), which are emerging pollutants all over the world. Environmental differences affect its distribution. The content of MNPs differs between urban and rural environments, according to previous studies. To understand the actual situation of human exposure to MNPs in various environments, this study collected 12 urine samples from volunteers in urban and rural regions of Chongqing and used pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS) and laser direct infrared spectroscopy (LDIR) to detect and analyze MNPs in urine. With an average abundance of 1.50 (2.31) mg/kg, MNPs were found in 9 samples by Py-GC/MS. Polyethylene (PE), polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and polyamide 66 (PA66), three different types of MNPs were found, with PE content being the highest among them. By using LDIR, MNPs were found in 7 samples, with an average abundance of 15.17 (23.13) particles/kg. Five different types of MNPs were found, with acrylates (ACR) being the main type, followed by polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), polyurethane (PU), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene terephthalate (PET). The findings demonstrated that urban region had much greater levels and more types of MNPs in human urine than rural. Additionally, regular contact with plastic toys and the use of personal care products are linked to the presence of MNPs. The influence of environmental factors on the actual exposure of the human body to MNPs was preliminary explored in this study, and two different methods were used for the first time to simultaneously detect and analyze MNPs in human urine. This allowed for the feasibility of comprehensively and effectively quantitatively analyzing the actual exposure of the human body to MNPs, and also provided the theoretical foundation for further research on the harm of MNPs to human health in different environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuan Song
- Center of Reproductive Medicine, Chengdu BOE Hospital, Chengdu 610219, China
| | - Tian Chen
- Health Management Center, Chongqing University Three Gorges Hospital, Chongqing 404010, China
| | - Zongwen Chen
- Department of Comprehensive Pediatric Internal Medicine, Chongqing University Three Gorges Hospital, Chongqing 404010, China
| | - Lixia Du
- Department of Gastroenterology, Chengdu BOE Hospital, Chengdu 610219, China
| | - Xihong Qiu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Chengdu BOE Hospital, Chengdu 610219, China
| | - Yuxin Zhang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Chengdu BOE Hospital, Chengdu 610219, China
| | - Yan Li
- Health Management Center, Chongqing University Three Gorges Hospital, Chongqing 404010, China
| | - Yu Zhu
- Department of Radiology, Yunnan Cancer Hospital (the Third Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University), Kunming 650118, China
| | - Zhongyou Tan
- Department of Comprehensive Pediatric Internal Medicine, Chongqing University Three Gorges Hospital, Chongqing 404010, China
| | - Yunbo Mo
- Department of Pediatric Respiratory Medicine, Chongqing University Three Gorges Hospital, Chongqing 404010, China
| | - Xiaoqian Feng
- Department of Comprehensive Pediatric Internal Medicine, Chongqing University Three Gorges Hospital, Chongqing 404010, China.
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Kong J, Lee J, Jeong S. Distribution of microplastics in rainfall and their control by a permeable pavement in low-impact development facility. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2024; 351:119710. [PMID: 38061101 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.119710] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2023] [Revised: 11/02/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/14/2024]
Abstract
Microplastics (MPs) released from plastic products in daily life are present in the air and could be transported to freshwater environments along with rain. Recently, low-impact development (LID) facilities, such as permeable pavements, have been used to treat non-point source pollutants, including rainfall runoff. While runoff is treated by LID facilities, the periodic monitoring of MPs in rainfall and the efficiency of removal of MPs through LID facilities have rarely been investigated. Therefore, this case study focused on monitoring MPs in rainwater runoff and permeate from a permeable pavement in Busan, South Korea, thus evaluating the removal efficiency of MPs by a LID system. The initial rainfall runoff and permeate through the LID system were sampled, and the amounts, types, sizes, and shapes of MPs in the samples were analyzed using micro-Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The results showed that the distribution of MPs in the initial rainfall was affected by population in tested area. Polyethylene was the most common type of MPs in all the samples. Polyamide was only found in the LID samples because of the pollution caused by water flows and pavement materials. Fragment type MPs was most commonly observed and consisted of relatively small-sized (under 100 μm) particles. LID facilities were able to capture approximately 98% of MPs in the rainfall through a filtration process in the permeable pavement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiwon Kong
- Civil and Environmental Engineering, Pusan National University, Busan, 46241, Republic of Korea
| | - Jieun Lee
- Institute for Environment and Energy, Pusan National University, Busan, 46241, Republic of Korea.
| | - Sanghyun Jeong
- Civil and Environmental Engineering, Pusan National University, Busan, 46241, Republic of Korea.
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